Two sides of Cephiro
by Mr.System
Summary: Things have gone bad in Cephiro. Last time there were three ships and now there's a whole fleet attacking land of dreams. Are The Magic Knights going to save their beloved realm one more time? Nobody knows that Cephiro's greatest ally is also its enemy...
1. 1 Painful echoes of joyful past

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own ANY rights to Magic Knights Rayearth story, its characters, anime or manga. The Magic Knight Rayearth is copyrighted by CLAMP**

**NOTES: Well here it goes. My first fanfic. I'm not Englishman so sorry for weird phrases if you encounter some. It's not easy to write story with dictionary opened in background but I'm doing my best ;)**

**The action takes place 3 years after girls last return from Cephiro in anime. Have a nice reading.  
**

Chapter 1 – Painful echoes of joyful past

A sound of steps suddenly disturbed silence of a long dark hallway. It belonged to a girl with red hair plaited into long pony-tail. She didn't know where or why were she going. Her legs were carrying her on their own. But she knew that she had to do something important this night. Something very important. She also knew that she will have a great pleasure of this.

Walking a longer moment with all strength trying to remember a reason of her night walk, she suddenly stopped. She heard voices. Two persons. A girl and a young man. They were talking a minute or two and finally, a sound of steps started to reach her.

Then, a blonde girl with eyepieces on her nose came from around the corner. When Hikaru recognized her she have realized, that it was her, who were a reason of why Hikaru were wandering here .The blonde girl almost jumped when she saw someone standing in a shadow.

-"Oh Hikaru It's you." –she said -"You scared me… What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to sleep?"

A polite smile slipped away from her face when she saw that her friend is drawing a sword.

-"What are you doing?" –she asked with a little dose of fear in her voice.

Hikaru didn't respond. She just started to approach a scared girl with a sword in hand.

-"Hikaru..." – the girl took a few steps backwards. Something was wrong. Hikaru kept coming closer to her with a sword.

Suddenly, the girl have turned back and started to run screaming. Then something stopped her with a great force. She felt terrible pain in between her stomach and chest. She looked down and saw a blade of sword coming out of her body. It was Hikaru who stabbed her with sword so hardly that it pierced onto the other side.

Red-hair ripped sword from her brutally and yanked her for a shoulder turning her around so she were looking face to face with Hikaru. Her eyes were strange. Without any emotions. That surely wasn't Hikaru's look. Her mouth has curved in a little smile.

-"Why…" –said Fuu with weakening voice. Then she collapsed on the floor as Hikaru have released her shoulder. After a while she fell asleep in quickly spreading pool of blood.

Somebody ran from around the corner. It was a beautiful tall girl with long blue hair. She was wielding a rapier in her hand.

-"What the... Hey! Hikaru did you saw Fuu? I heard screa…" –a blue haired girl suddenly cut her phrase when she noticed Fuu's dead body on the floor. Then she pointed her eyes at a sword in Hikaru's hand – whole in blood. Through a moment she were just opening and closing her mouth slowly like she forgot how to speak.

-"Fuu…No…" –she said silently covering her mouth with a free hand and staring terrified at Fuu lying in a blood. After a moment or two she raised her sword quickly, ready to repel any attack.

-"Who... Who are you?!!! What have you done with Fuu and Hikaru?!!!!" –she shrieked out as loud as she could.

-"It's me Umi" –Hikaru respond –"Don't you recognize me?"

-"Stand back!! Don't come closer or I will slice you into pieces monster!!!" –screamed Umi with tears in her eyes.

Hikaru only smiled and pointed her hand slowly at Umi. Umi followed with frightened eyes her every move.

-"_Black lightning_" –said Hikaru calmly

A black-violet serpentine shot out of Hikaru's hand and struck Umi. She didn't even scream as an explosion of violet light totally swept her from the hallway.

Hikaru observed a quick death of her once-friend with a feeling of satisfaction. She looked at a cloud of smokes rising from a place where Umi was standing moment ago. But she didn't see the body. It looks like the spell was so powerful that victim has literally vaporized. There was only a rapier with blue ornaments lying on the floor. Escudo swords were almost indestructible.

Suddenly something started to happen with Hikaru. It was like she was waking up from a deep daze. A healthy reason started to flow into her brain like a river. Then – with full force, she realized what a terrible thing she has done before a moment. She has murdered her two best friends! She looked down with fear at Fuu's dead body with a deep wound above stomach. A sword clang loudly as it fell on the floor from Hikaru's hand. She fell on her knees at Fuu's body and wailed her, pouring tears into her green shirt.

Giving herself to despair and desperately trying to find out why this has happened, for a longer time, she suddenly heard a noise behind her. She turned her head and saw a small child. A girl in the age of 6 you could say looking at her. Hikaru were surprised by one fact – that girl was a loyal miniature of Hikaru herself! She even was holding in hand a sword similar to Hikaru's fire broadsword! The only exceptions were that the girl's red hair were not plaited into a ponytail, her sword was a lot shorter than Hikaru's version and she had a more prominent cheek bones. The most curious thing was that a little girl was very familiar to Hikaru. She felt like knowing her a long time … but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't remember who was her. The child was staring terrified on the scene.

-"Hikaru" –someone called. It wasn't that girl.

Hikaru stood up and tried to come closer to scared child, but she turned back and ran shrieking as loud as she could. She disappeared in the darkness.

-"HIKARU!" –someone shouted. It was like someone shouted right into her ear.

She heard a terrible scream.

***

Hikaru shot up in her bed in a dark room. Her night dress was all wet from a sweat. She sat breathing hard. Someone was crouching at her bed.

-"…ok, ok calm down… that was just a dream… you're safe…" –someone talking to her. She looked and saw that this someone was her mother.

-"Are you okay? Here…" –he said and gave here a glass of water. She emptied it with a few deep gulps.

-"Thanks mom… I… I think I'm okay" –she said with weak voice. Now she realized that the scream that she heard a moment ago was her own.

-"We will have to go to doctor" –Her mother said looking at her anxiously –"You're having nightmares every night. It's starting to look dangerous"

-"I'm all right. I just have a hard time"

-"Well… We will talk about it in the morning. You want me to stay with you or you will fall asleep alone?"

-"No there's no need. I'll fall asleep alone."

-"Are you sure sunny?"

-"Yes mummy – you have to be well rested. You're leading kendo lessons tomorrow" –she replied smiling.

Her mother kissed her in forehead and reluctantly left the room leaving Hikaru alone. She fell hardly on her pillow and started to reflect. These nightmares were not normal – that's for sure. It was also sure that their cause was Cephiro. They all were taking place there. But what was worrying her was the fact that they all never been such terrible as the one she just woken up from. Her heart was still beating rapidly from fear.

But even if Cephiro was in danger – what is she supposed to do? The path has been destroyed as she removed the pillar system. She was no longer princess of Cephiro. Going there was impossible but, if she won't do something she will surely go insane from these nightmares! Also if her beloved land of dreams was in danger – she had duty to protect it. That's why she was chosen for a pillar of course.

But that was only excusing her before herself. Call of duty to defend Cephiro was one thing, nightmares were another, but the most important reason why she wanted to return to Cephiro so much was love. Lantis… Although it was so long ago, she didn't forget his face. Every time she closed her eyes she saw him. She was always wearing the necklace he gave her.

She wanted to return to Cephiro – badly. It has come to a point where often she was exploding with cry in the middle of a lesson in school. She was no longer that always good-humored girl who was looking at least 2 less years younger than she really was. She was always sad. No one knew what the cause of her changed behavior was. No one… Except her two most loyal friends – Umi and Fuu. They were only ones who knew real cause of her sadness. But they were not trying to console her. Even not because it had no chance to make situation better, but because that they were maybe even more depressed than her. A tear has appeared on her face and slipped over her cheek.

Suddenly a flash of white light lightened a whole room. She jumped out of her bed and grabbed katana from a hanger on a wall. A moment later she was surprised that the source of light was nothing else than her medallion from Lantis. Fire was dancing around it. She dropped katana on the floor and came closer to a glowing necklace on a night table. She tried to pick it up to take a closer look at it but as soon as her hand touched a shiny item she was paralyzed by a wave of pain that flown through her body. With all force she tried to scream but her mouth remained closed and her throat simply did not release any voice. Then, pain turned into strange feeling of excitement. A fire jumped from necklace onto her hand and came up her arm.

Her body started to boil with feelings. One time she felt pain, other one she felt pleasant feeling of satisfaction. One time she felt cold, one time warm. Feelings of excitement, fear, calm, euphoria and many other were mixing inside of her like she were 10 persons at once.

A trance stopped as suddenly as it started. She felt on the floor still holding medallion in right hand. Before she even realized what happened – another light appeared in center of her room. A bright ball of yellow light reminding of a sun.

She felt fear – that was the same light that has transported Hikaru, Umi and Fuu into Cephiro 3 years ago! Is it possible that her dreams had finally been fulfilled?

But the light has vanished before she managed to do anything. She kept lying on the floor surprised by what happened a moment ago. After a longer moment she got up with feeling of terrible disappointment. She put her katana back on the hanger and after spending a couple of seconds staring at medallion, she put it back on the table and got back to bed.

She was lying in the bed for a longer time ,thinking of what the hell happened in here. Is it possible that the path between worlds have been restored? Or maybe that was just a hallucination? No… It couldn't be. It was so real. She _felt_ it when she touched the medallion. Whatever it was.

As she couldn't hold out the fatigue, she simply fell asleep.

***

-"Umi! What are you doing there so long?!" –shouted a blue haired woman in front of locked bathroom doors

-"Oh don't scream I'm just taking a bath." –replied Umi to her angry mother

-"For an hour?!!"

-"Oh my… Was it an hour already??" –said Umi sweat-dropping ashamed

-"Get out of there NOW!"

-"Ok ok mom… Just give me 5 minutes… allright?

Silence. It looks like her mother was thinking whether to continue to bicker or leave her alone. Finally, she walked away from the bathroom doors grumbling something.

Umi have sighed. She loved to have a long bath. Hot water have really caused her to relax. And that was exactly what she needed now. But even warm bath could not silence her sorrow. Her friends – Hikaru and Fuu were thinking that she misses Cephiro so badly, she wants to use magic, her Escudo rapier and power of Selece to fight again for the land of dreams.

Well that wasn't whole truth. She never told anyone about true reason of her sadness. And that reason was Clef. She loved him. The worst thing was that she even never told him about her feelings! She never had an opportunity. And it looks like she will never have…A tear have flown from her closed eyes and got drown in warm water.

As she was reflecting, she felt a little drops of water hitting her face. At first she ignored it, thinking that her nerves are playing with her, but the felling was becoming stronger and stronger like there were more water drops hitting her face with every second.

She opened her eyes and suddenly she jumped with scream out of the bath-tub. There was a big whirl of water dancing above her bath-tub. She stared with fear at a strange phenomenon, pushing her back hard against bathroom doors. She felt something to tickle her in her feet. She looked down and she saw a stream of water wrapping around her legs. She desperately tried to shake it off but after a while water was swirling around her whole body. She felt strange. Suspiciously calm. So much that she did not take it as something unusual when her hands and later whole body started _melting_. She was literally turning into water! After a while she has _become _that water-whirl and were spinning as blue crystal water. A feeling of unbelievable euphoria filled her as she danced in mad vortex. She probably never felt as wonderful as now.

-"UMI!!! What the hell is going in there?!!"

The water dance stopped and Umi materialized in mid-air and hit the floor of the bathroom. She stood up on her legs holding her elbow because she got hit in it.

-"Oh… Am…Err… I'm going out!" –said Umi. She looked with fear around flooded bathroom however she didn't have time to do anything about it. She rubbed her body and put on her night dress. As she left the bathroom her mother was looking on her suspiciously.

-"What happened? Why did you scream?" –she asked

-"I… Err… I just have stepped on soap when I was leaving the tub. That's all" –she replied pointing her eyes at the floor

-"I always told you to be careful when you getting out of bath-tub"

Umi didn't reply. She directed herself into her bedroom as quickly as possible leaving behind her mother screaming:

-"UMI!!! For god's sakes! The water is all over the floor! Next time your going to clean it if you leave such a mess young lady!"

***

-"Are you not going to sleep yet Fuu?" –asked a brown haired girl

-"Oh sorry Kuu just give me a minute. I'm finishing a chapter in a book" –answered calmly a blonde haired girl with eyepieces on her nose.

-"Allright. I'll be back in a second" –said Kuu and left the bedroom

Fuu continued to read the book. In recent days her favorite hobby was reading a books. Although she always liked to do this, she never has been addicted to it so much. Romances and fantasy-books were reminding her of Cephiro causing sometimes pain, nostalgia and sometimes calm and satisfaction. She feared to forget about the land of dreams and Ferio. From all of three magic knights Fuu was probably most bound to her beloved one. However her good manners forbade her to trouble others with her own problems. So she was wearing a mask of her politeness and smile all the time. Only Hikaru and Umi – and no one else were noticing her every sad look in a moments when she was thinking about Ferio. She loved him so much. So was he loving her. They both were literally addicted to themselves even if it wasn't looking like this. As she were once more bringing memories of the most important for her hunter in Cephiro, she couldn't stand and pushed a tear out of her eyes which has slipped over her face and sunk in her pillow.

Suddenly she heard a loud noise in the room. She opened her eyes and was surprised by view of all items in the room – books, pillows, flower-pots, glasses dancing in a large whirlwind in center of her room. She was staring at it too much surprised to do something or even think about doing anything. She looked at her hand. A ribbon of emerald-color wind, reminding of a smoke was enveloping around her arm. Feeling of this wind was probably the most pleasant feeling she felt from a long time. It was like warm silk twisting around her hand, around her chest, and finally around her whole body. It drove her dazed so much that she even didn't notice that she were flying above her bed and slowly moved towards the center of the whirlwind. She were looking like a mother nature herself levitating above the floor in a whirlwind. Suddenly she fell on the floor, together with all the items that wind was carrying, when she heard Kuu's voice.

-"Have you finished that chapter already?" –she said entering and stopped in a place as she saw the weird scene of chaos in the room.

-"Oh... My… God..." –she said slowly -"What in the world happened in here?? What a mess! It's like a tornado just passed by the room!"

-"How do you know…" –Fuu said in her thoughts

***

-"So we all experienced something weird that night" –said Umi to her friends –Hikaru and Fuu. They were all standing on Tokyo tower staring on view behind pane of observation deck. They were coming here every day, maybe in hope that they will be once again miraculously transported to Cephiro.

Three years have passed since they saw the land of dreams last time. Time flow did not make much change in their appearance. They've been only taller. Hikaru was still wearing her ponytail, Umi still had that model-like look and Fuu was still short-haired dark blonde wearing glasses.

-"You know what? I think that a passage to Cephiro had opened that night in my room" – Hikaru said.

-"Are you sure? You know that the path has been…" –started Umi

-"…destroyed. Yeah I know but it was the same light that were appearing every time we were going to on the other side! It was NOT a hallucination I'm sure!" –said Hikaru excited

Silence. They all didn't know what to think about it. It was too beautiful to be true. With the time they just forgot how was it to be in Cephiro.

-"But that whatever happened yesterday, it was nice thing wasn't it?" –Umi broke the silence

-"You mean that incident with… magic?" –asked Hikaru

-"Yes. Wish I could experience this again. It was just wonderful until my mother came up"

-"Yea. But that pain at beginning was terrible" –said Hikaru

Both Umi and Fuu looked at her

-"Pain? I didn't feel any pain" –said Fuu

-"Neither me. Well if not counting that I hit myself while falling" –said Umi

-"What? But I felt terrible pain when I touched that medallion!"

-"Maybe you felt pain because your element is fire?" –suggested Fuu

-"Hmm… Maybe…" –said Hikaru thoughtfully looking on her medallion. She wasn't fully convinced

-"Well, maybe we should find out how magic got into Tokyo?" –said Umi

-"But how?" –asked Hikaru

-"Simple – Let's go to Cephiro" –she replied with smile –"If you say that path has opened then we can again move between worlds"

-"But how are we going to jump into the other side?" –asked Fuu

-"Hikaru try to open the path" –said Umi and when Hikaru risen her brows looking at her in question she added –"You're the pillar for god's sakes!"

-"Oh.. right.." –said Hikaru and linked her palms like she was going to pray. She took a deep breath and said

-"I want me and my friends go to Cephiro"

Nothing happened. They were still standing on Tokyo tower.

-"Ah crap, it doesn't work…" –said finally disappointed Umi

-"Maybe you should state your wish more clearly? For example "I want to open the path"? Or try to speak louder" –suggested Fuu

Hikaru did not respond. She was still standing with linked palms and half closed eyes staring before herself.

-"Hikaru?" –Fuu looked at her anxiously

-"Hey Hikaru? Are you okay? Wake up!" –said Umi snapping her fingers before Hikaru's eyes

Suddenly a sun-like yellow light appeared right before the window. Umi and Fuu covered her eyes.

-"It's working!!" –shouted Umi

Then floor under them disappeared. So the whole tower and view outside the window did. In place of Tokyo city panorama appeared a huge forest and a beautiful ocean in a distance.

They started to fall with great speed. At this point Hikaru woke up from her trance.

-"Aaaah!!! We're gonna crash!!! Hikaru do something!!!" –screamed Umi

-"But what?!" –shouted Hikaru not less panicked than Umi.

-"I don't know!! You're the pillar!!!"

-"_Protective wind_!!!" –screamed Fuu.

Green ribbons of wind have wrapped around them and jerked them strongly up. They've slowed down but they were still descending too fast. Fortunately they fell into forest and trees absorbed their speed. After slamming into few branches they all struck the earth.

**NOTES: Woah that was long one wasn't it? Well.. in future I'll try to make less useless details and more action**. **So tell me, was it good one? Was it crap? Then review. But hey! Don't lay it down if it was little too boring - here comes second chapter. Take a look at it...**


	2. 2 Beggining of problems

Chapter 2 – The beginning of problems

Hikaru woke up on the ground in some bushes. She sat trying to shake herself from dizziness. After a while she stood and immediately noticed something on her nose. She took it off. _Eyeglasses_?? She placed them back on her nose as without them her vision started to blur. She looked down and noticed a small pool of water on the ground. She came closer to it to look and almost jumped surprised by what she saw in reflection in the water. She saw Fuu's face. Now she noticed that instead of her red dress she was wearing a green shirt. It was Fuu's dress! "It can't be…" she thought.

-"Fuu?! Hikaru?! Where are you?!" –she felt strange when she heard her own voice yelling from depth of the forest.

-"I'm here!" –Hikaru shouted feeling a little uncomfortable that now her voice was the Fuu's voice. She then ran in direction of her own voice calling her name, not really sure what to expect. She stopped in place when she saw _herself _leaning on a tree and holding her right hand no her head.

-"Oh… my head..."-said her red-haired second self –"Fuu! Did you saw Hikaru?"

-"Err… Umi?" –said Hikaru beginning to realize what happened.

Her double looked strange at her.

-"And who do you think? Can't you see?" –said annoyed Umi with Hikaru's voice

-"Well you will be surprised but I am Hikaru"

Umi frowned at her.

-"What kind of joke is this? Fuu quit it, it's not…" –said Umi and opened her eyes wider when she noticed her sleeve being not blue but red. She grabbed backwards and felt a long ponytail.

-"I'am… I'am…"

-"Calm down. It's okay. Just don't panic" –Hikaru said.

-"It looks like she took it worse than we did" –said Umi's voice behind Hikaru. She turned back and saw a tall model-like blue haired girl looking at them two.

-"Fuu?"

-"In not-my-own person" –she said and smiled.

-"What in the world happened?! We have just swapped with our bodies!" –said Umi

-"It looks like something gone wrong with the spell… Well, at least landing wasn't that bad. Good thing you reacted so quickly Fuu" –Hikaru said and smiled at Fuu.

-"Thanks. I think we should go to palace of Cephiro as soon as possible. Maybe Clef will be able to fix this up" –said Fuu.

-"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go. I want my body back" –said Umi.

-"But err… Umi? Could you give me my medallion?" –asked Hikaru. Medallion was still hanging on neck of Hikaru's body now possessed by Umi

-"Oh… Sure. Here…" –she said handing over Hikaru's medallion.

***

They were walking for about a half an hour by a forest trail. Although it was middle of a forest they couldn't hear any noises except their walking and rustle of leaves moved by wind. No birds. Even no monsters attacked them. And that was very strange in Cephiro forests.

-"Can't you smile a little? I can't stand looking at my face with that look all the time" –said Hikaru.

-"I'm just annoyed that I used to be tallest of us three and now I'm the shortest one" –replied Umi.

-"Don't sulk. You're surely going to be yourself again when we will meet Clef" –said Fuu.

-"Hey! I've got an idea. Why don't we use magic to fix this on our own?" –suggested Umi.

They all stopped marching.

-"Umi you know that could be dangerous" –said Fuu.

-"Let's try. Worst that can happen is that we will swap again but in wrong order" –said Umi. Hikaru and Fuu were not convinced, but finally Hikaru linked her hands.

-"C'mon!" –Umi encouraged her.

Hikaru closed her eyes and whispered something. Suddenly their vision started to blur. They all three felt swirling faster and faster. When everything stopped they all looked at themselves.

-"Now who's who?" –asked red-hair.

-"Fuu" –replied blonde-hair.

-"It works! I'm myself again!" –Umi jumped from excitement

-"Fuu give me back my medallion ok?" –asked Hikaru. Fuu took necklace off her neck and gave it to Hikaru who immediately put it on.

-"Let's go then. This silence is giving me the creeps" –said Fuu

***

As they walked further down the forest path, silence were rarely broken by Umi complaining about her aching legs and demanding a stop. Fuu didn't say anything because she was too polite to make such complains and too scared of abnormal silence. Hikaru just couldn't stop as she was too excited of returning to Cephiro and as her friends she wanted to leave that strange forest as soon as possible.

Suddenly she stopped without any warning. Umi and Fuu looked at her.

-"What's wrong?" –asked Fuu.

Hikaru didn't answer. She just turned her head at big bushes growing by the trail. Then she opened her eyes wide in surprise.

-"GET DOWN!" –she yelled and jumped onto her friends throwing them on the ground.

-"What do you think you're doing?! Do you want to…" –Umi cut her phrase when her eyes stopped on a few arrows sticked in the ground next to them.

-"Fuu!" –Hikaru yelled when she got up from ground.

-"_Protective wind_!!!" –Fuu shouted.

A green barrier of wind appeared around them. A rain of arrows shot up from bushes but they bounced of wind barrier like thrown matches.

-"Cease fire! Cease fire!! That's not them!" –someone shouted in the bushes.

-"That voice…" –said Fuu and her barrier collapsed.

A group of men walked from the bushes. Half were bearing long-bows in their hands and were wearing green armors with shoulder-straps. But other half had long green robes falling onto ground instead of armors. They were all led by young green-haired man in shining plate-armor with golden patterns. He was holding a sword with green gems on handle. Golden long-bow was hanging on his shoulder. He looked at three girls like he just saw a ghost.

-"That's impossible…" –he said.

-"Ferio!" –shouted Fuu with tears in her eyes.

***

Fuu hugged still surprised Ferio as strong as she could. Then she looked at his face to make sure that it is not a dream. Umi and Hikaru were standing on side looking at this cute scene with smile on their faces.

Fuu looked at group of archers and mages standing behind Ferio. Then on him and again on group of men. She frowned on him and suddenly, without any warning she slapped him in face with all force.

-"Ouch! What the… What for?!" –asked surprised Ferio rubbing his cheek.

-"You… You bastard! I thought you were right and just man!" –yelled angered Fuu

-"What…"

-"…And when I'm gone you're turning into filthy rogue!" –she screamed in fury and tried to hit him again but he dodged. Umi, Hikaru and group of Ferio's soldiers were looking at them embarrassed. Fuu's two friends have never seen her driven to fury so much.

-"Hey… Stop it… CALM DOWN!" –he shouted cathing her for hands. –"I'm not a bandit!"

-"Oh certainly. So since when ambushes on travelers have become legal in Cephiro?" –she was still shaking in anger. Ferio stared at her for a moment and then exploded with laugh.

-"What's so funny in this?" –she asked annoyed.

-"Are you insane? We are not robbing anyone" –he said still giggling.

-"Then why were you shooting us?"

-"We… Oh… Well…" –stammered Ferio –"We set up an ambush on Autosam troops" –he said finally

Fuu frowned at him

-"That was most stupid excuse I could hear from you. Who do you think I am? A dumb?"

-"I'm telling truth! There's a whole armada in here!" –he said

-"What a dumbs" –said Hikaru

Everybody looked at her.

-"What did you say?" –asked Fuu

-"Are you deaf? Not good, not good… First your eyes, now your ears. I'm curious what's coming next. Maybe intelligence?"

-"Excuse me?!" –said surprised Fuu

-"Hey what's wrong with you?" –asked Umi looking at Hikaru like she saw a cactus on her forehead. Hikaru just looked at the sky thoughtfully

-"With me? Nothing. There's something wrong with you, not me. You can't walk a few steps without groaning for a stop. You are always complaining. Just like little kids. I don't know why the hell I took you here… I should go alone"

-"You're not yourself!" –said Fuu looking with fear at her.

-"Guess that heat had knocked her in head" –said angered Umi

-"Good thing I have stupidity from heat, not from my parents like you do. I think stupidity is genetic in your snobbish family"

-"You…" –Umi drawn her sword

-"Umi no!" –Fuu screamed

Everything have gone incredibly fast. Umi have swinged her sword at Hikaru in fury, but surprisingly, Hikaru have been faster. She drawn her sword and hit against Umi's one with such force that she knocked it out of her hand. She then punched her in stomach with flat of her sword and thrown on ground with kick right between the eyes.

Umi was writhing in pain on the ground. She went still when she felt tip of Hikaru's blade on her throat. Hikaru gave her a little time to push out pain.

-"Threaten me with a sword again and I will cut your head off. Understood?" –she said coldly

Umi didn't answer. A little trail of blood come out of her nose. She was staring frightened on Hikaru. Something was wrong. She has never been so strong to punch sword out of Umi's hand! And she has never been so fast to block Umi's sudden attack. Fuu, Ferio and Soldiers were staring on scene with surprise mixed with fear. Then, they all noticed that Hikaru's medallion was glowing with bright violet light.

-"UNDERSTOOD?!" –yelled Hikaru with fury pushing her blade to Umi's throat

-"Yes… Understood…" –replied Umi with shaking voice.

Then, the mysterious glow around Hikaru's medallion disappeared and she looked around in question. She then noticed Umi lying on the ground and her sword on throat of scared girl. She opened her eyes wide and thrown away her sword in fear taking a few steps back.

Fuu ran to Umi and helped her to sit.

-"_Healing wind_" –she said calmly and blood from Umi's nose disappeared. Then everybody looked at Hikaru staring at them frightened and covering her mouth with hands.

-"I… I'm… " –she looked at them staggering and couldn't say a word.

-"It's okay. Calm down" –Fuu ran to her and hugged her tightly.

***

-"Please forgive me Umi. I didn't want too…"

-"Oh quit it Hikaru. Apologies accepted okay? I know you weren't yourself. Just stop apologizing me all day!" –said annoyed Umi

-"Did you notice her medallion? It was glowing violet when she got… err… possessed" –said Ferio

-"You should throw away that thing" –suggested Umi

-"No way! I got it from Lantis!" –she said grabbing her medallion into both hands

-"It may be the reason why did you act like that" –said Fuu

-"Lantis would not give me something that could harm me" –Hikaru defended herself

-"How do you now? I mean… What if he didn't know about it's properties?" –said Umi

-"It saved my life when we were fighting Debonair. And not only then. Oh for god's sakes, he got it from his mother! Do you think that he would get a black magic item from her and would give it to me?"

-"I don't know. Did you know his mother? She could be err… an evil witch or… a black wizard or something" –pushed Umi

-"You missed. Zagato's and Lantis's mother was a master mage of Cephiro. A Clef's predecessor" –said Ferio

They all looked at him

-"Clef's predecessor?"

-"Yes. Melissa was probably the most powerful person in the universe. There was surely a reason why she was called "The Queen of Two Sides". She wasn't pillar but the whole Cephiro, including black side, was in her rule. Yes she did control both sides but she were on the good side. She was a good woman. That was the time when all nations, even Farenians, were fearing of Cephiro's might. But no one in Cephiro's dynasty of that time reached our powerful arm to conquer other worlds. That was against Cephirians nature. When she died, the best of her apprentices took her place as master mage. And that apprentice was Clef. Soon he reached rank of guru, but he never been as powerful as her" –explained Ferio

-"How did she died?" –asked curious Hikaru

-"Accident. All that we know is that one of her spells went wrong and she got killed. We know nothing except this. Before she died, Melissa gave birth to Zagato and a year later Lantis. Zagato was at age of 10 when she died. Lantis at age of 9. They both came under education by Guru Clef"

-"And what… what…" –Hikaru began but stopped when everything started to swirl. Her vision blurred and she felt a strange feeling of displacement. When she shook of that feeling she was not in her own body.

-"Oh no it happened again" –said her own voice

-"What? What happened?" –Ferio looked at them in question

-"We've just swapped with our bodies. I don't know how did it happen. Now I'm Hikaru. This…" she pointed at blue-haired girl "…is Fuu and this…" she pointed at red-haired girl "…is Umi"

Ferio looked at each one of them for a while and finally said

-"Well so we should go to castle as soon as possible. Guru Clef might know reason of this problem"

-"Umi could you give me my necklace?" –said Hikaru

Umi looked at her embarrassed

-"I'm not sure if it's good idea that you carry it"

-"Give it" –said Hikaru impatiently

Umi jumped when medallion on her neck started to glow with bright red light. Fuu and Ferio were moving their eyes between small shining medallion on neck of scared red-haired girl and face of furious blonde girl with eyepieces on nose.

-"Okay, here. Just don't get angry again" –said Umi handing glowing medallion over to Hikaru who changed look of her face from anger to smile immediately when she put medallion on her neck.

-"What are we waiting for then? Let's go!" –she said with enthusiasm

***

When Umi, Ferio, Hikaru, Fuu and a column of archers and mages were leaving the forest Ferio looked at three girls and said

-"I want to show you something, follow me"

Hikaru, Fuu and Umi done as he said. They followed him to a small hill at border of forest.

-"Look" –he said pointing at horizon. Fuu sighed and covered her mouth. Umi and Hikaru just opened their eyes wide. So Ferio was right.

The sky was turning darker and darker as coming closer to horizon line. In place where it was dark as night there were huge armada of spaceships. There were hundreds of them. Some of them were similar to the one that was in possession of Eagle when he invaded Cephiro. Among all ships, in center there was enormous ship biggest of them all, from that distance it looked as big as 20 Tokyo towers. Lightings were brightening place on the sky where ships were resting in air.

-"Dear god…" –said Fuu in awe

-"There's so many of them…" –said silently Umi

-"When they attacked we've had no chance. Without pillar. Without magic knights. Not mention that sickness among people and creatures…"

-"Sickness?" –asked Hikaru

-"Yea, but don't ask me. Clef is going to explain you everything about it. Let's go." –he said

**NOTES: Now how do you think? Was it a good one? Then don't forget to review ;) Please also note that it takes me a hell lot of time to sit with a dictionary and translator and check my words tenths of times. Not to mention that I'm still at school so I don't have much time to spend on writing. But please be patient. I haven't done yet ;) I think that I'll manage to complete third chapter in about a week. But no promises!  
**


	3. 3 Reunion

**NOTES:**** Please notice that girls are still under effect of what made them swapped with their bodies (read chapter 2!). This means that now Umi's a red-hair, Fuu's a blue-hair and Hikaru is blonde one. (Hey put that axe away!! :D It's not going to last for too long)**

Chapter 3 – Reunion

Two guards were sitting on stools behind giant locked doors of Cephiro palace. One of them was standing up and looking nervously through a small hole in the doors every few minutes. Behind that hole there was view on everything in front of the doors.

-"Prince should be here already" –said the guard

-"Oh stop worrying. They would have alert us through communication stone if they were attacked" –said second one

-"Maybe they lost it? Or maybe they were ambushed and those tech-swines took the stone from them?"

-"Prince is not such a dumb to loose communication stone"

-"We should alert guru"

-"Again? Oh calm down. They've surely been just slowed down a little by weather. It's changing rapidly these days"

Guard at the doors sighed

-"It didn't used to be like this. Where did that wonderful age of princess Emeraude gone?"

***

-"Now how are we going to get up there?" –asked Umi staring at an enormous blue castle floating high above the ground.

-"Are we going to fly or something?" –said Hikaru

-"Fly? Hah. Try to fly up there and you will be fried by all those Clef's defensive spells" –explained Ferio

-"Then how?" –asked Fuu

-"Teleportation of course" –he said searching something in pockets of his trousers not protected by armor. After a while he took out a small orange gem and started whispering something, holding it in his both hands.

Suddenly, everything started to blur. Trees, bushes and ground beneath them have dispersed like a smoke. After a moment their feet touched surface of vast platform of a wonderful palace floating in air.

-"Nice trick" –said Umi in amazement

-"Guru's invention. I can't imagine what we would do without him" –he said and put the gem back in his pocket

Ferio led soldiers and three girls into giant palace doors. When he used a small door-knocker it made surprisingly loud noise. He knocked three times and someone's eye appeared in a hole in doors.

-"Password" –said voice from inside

-"Water dragon" –answered Ferio

Doors opened slowly without making any noise. Two men with halberds came from inside and saluted Ferio. Little blue sparks were jumping from time to time on blades of their weapons. These were surely not just a dead piece of metal.

-"At ease" –said Ferio

-"Is everything in order your majesty? You're supposed to be back 15 minutes ago"

-"Majesty?!" –all three girls whispered in amazement

-"It's ok. We've just been slowed down a little by unexpected guests" –he said and stepped inside followed by girls and column of soldiers. Two guards stared at Hikaru, Umi and Fuu in astonishment.

-"It can't be…" –whispered one of them

When they entered a long, wide hallway, people came from all smaller lanes to see prince return. Not only guards but also unarmed men, women and even children came to look at elite of Cephiro warriors marching behind the prince. Voices of amazement began to reach Hikaru, Fuu and Umi, as people started to whisper between themselves. It was hard for them to believe who, except his soldiers, was following Ferio. They lost their hope to see magic knights long ago. And now that hope have been revived and was walking as three pretty girls blushing in embarrasement as they were now drawing even more attention than prince.

***

Ferio, Fuu, Hikaru and Umi were on their way to the meeting chamber (soldiers left to their barracks). Hikaru almost ran as she couldn't wait to meet rest of her friends and her love.

Doors opened before them without any action from their side. Before them there were a big hall with a long table in center. Clef, Lafarga and Presea were leaning over a map lain down over it. Caldina was standing on side staring on view over a window. They all turned their faces when Ferio and three girls entered the room.

-"Ferio, what…" –Caldina cut her phrase and opened her eyes wide when she noticed who's accompanying Ferio

They all stared at each other a longer moment. Finally girls, Caldina and Presea hugged themselves tightly. Girls couldn't help but explode with cry from hapiness. Lafarga and Clef were standing aside too much shocked to do anything but stare on them.

-"How… How did you get here??" –asked Clef

-"Hikaru's work" –said Umi through tears. As Umi was still in Hikaru's body everyone looked at her surprised that she is talking about herself in third person. But they did not mind that. This was too little fact to blow up atmosphere of reunion. After three years they finally met again. Through so much of sorrow, so much of drilling feeling of missing of their friends, three magic knights finally felt relief. Even look of dreadful autosam fleet outside the window had no importance right now.

***

-"Where's Lantis?" –asked Hikaru when they finally finished greeting themselves

-"Oh he's on patrol. He should be back in a couple of minutes" –Presea replied with smile

-„So, Hikaru you managed to open the path?" –asked Clef looking at red-haired girl.

-"Err… No, Hikaru's there" –she said pointing at blonde girl with eyepieces

Everyone looked at each other in question.

-"What do you mean? I don't get it" –asked Lafarga staring at them.

-"Oh we forgot to tell you" –Hikaru said –"Something has gone wrong when we landed and… we have changed with our bodies. This is Umi and this is Fuu" –she said pointing first at red-hair and then at blue-hair.

Clef opened his eyes wide and then put his hand on his forehead.

-"Oh no… Anything but not this…" –he groaned

-"Now do you have an idea how did it happen?" –asked Fuu

-"Well, I have."

-"That's great, but later ok? Tell us about what's going up in here first" –said Hikaru and ignored Umi's angry look.

-"Guess I will be more proper person to tell them about situation" –someone said from behind them. Umi, Hikaru and Fuu turned around and saw someone they least expected to meet here.

-"Geo?!" –they all yelled at once and drawn their swords

-"Hey hey hey! Put those things away! He's on our side" –said quickly Lafarga

Girls looked at each other and reluctantly teleported their swords into their magic gloves. They were still looking at Geo suspiciously as he came closer.

-"He's on our side? He have deserted?" –asked Umi

-"Well, we could say so" –said Geo smiling

-"We could?"

-"Sit down first and I'll explain everything" –he answered and took place on chair by the table. When they were all sitting he took a deep breath and started

-"When I've returned to my country from unsuccessful attempt to conquer land of dreams, it started to boil. Citizens and council were furious of Eagle's death. Election started immediately to choose new leader. The situation was even more unstable because of energy crisis on our planet. Despite Autosam is highly advanced world we rely heavily on magic. Well as you perfectly know that was reason of our first assault on Cephiro. It's infinite source of magic energy"

-"Get to the point" –Hikaru pressed him

-"I'm on it. So the election took place. Whole of my crew thought that I'll be chosen as the new Autosam leader. So was I. But fate made us surprise. Instead of me, the new leader of Autosam became General Ray Moondart"

-"Moondart?" –Hikaru repeated.

-"Actually I could expect that in their act of desperation people will choose someone strong, charismatic and ruthless just as him, but I thought that they will at least respect Eagle's last will to leave Cephiro alone. Enough to say that Moondart was the one who suggested attacking Cephiro when Eagle was alive. I was sure that he will commence another strike on this world and I had to act quickly. So I started to gather men who were loyal to me and Eagle. Unfortunately, general managed to set up assault fleet sooner than I made it to gather enough people to sabotage his plans. So I didn't have a choice. I took few of my best men and we tried to assassinate him, but…" –he sighed

-"What? What happened?" –asked Fuu

-"He was prepared. He knew all about my plans. I still don't know how it happened. Anyway, when we got up to his office we were invited by machine guns. We barely managed to escape with Zazu and two other soldiers. That was all that got left from 15-men commando squad. We ran to our flag-ship as fast as we could. When we got here, general unleashed hell. His ships have opened fire on us. That was beginning of about two month home-war in Autosam. War in witch 50 thousand men lost their lives. Not counting civilians…"

Hikaru smiled. A moment later she was hit by fear. Why did she smile at death of 50000 people? She looked around and fortunately, it seemed that no one noticed her weird reaction.

-"And what then?" –Fuu pushed him further

-"When energy reserves were almost exhausted he took a move that surprised us completely. He withdrawn his whole fleet from Autosam and entered course on Cephiro. Before we even realized what happened he was half way here" –Geo drilled his vision on the floor. Clef continued for him.

-"When Moondart landed on Cephiro we were completely unprepared. Fortunately they didn't harm innocent people. They were only burning forests, killing animals and building their fortifications on the ground. Why did they take such actions of demolishing everything and digging themselves up, but not slaughtering peasants is unknown. We've evacuated almost all Cephiro inhabitants into the palace and desperately tried to hold their invasion. With our force, only that we could do was attacking single squads or boarding lone ships that strayed to far away from their main fleet"

-"So now we are doing our best to stop those bastards from taking over Cephiro" –finished Ferio

-"Did you try to ask other nations for help? Maybe Faren?" -Fuu asked with hope in her voice

-"Faren? They have their own problems. Although I heard rumors that princess Aska was insisting hardly to send us some reinforcements. But what can she do? Rule is in king's and queen's hand and princess don't have a single word to say" –said Lafarga

-"What about Tarta and Tatra?" –asked Umi

-"Are you kidding? Their kingdom is so small that I could conquer it in a week with two of my ships! They don't have enough power to protect themselves, to say nothing of fighting Moondart's fleet." –said Geo

Silence arose between them. After a longer time Hikaru finally said

-"So we are alone?"

-"It looks like. Well that would be pretty much everything about our situation. I'm sorry but I gotta go. I'll be on my ship if you need me" –Geo said and left the chamber.

-"But Ferio told us about a sickness in here. What about it?" –asked Hikaru

-"Aah"–Clef sighed –"Well it looks dangerous. That sickness appeared in moment when war came here. And it looks strange. People and all creatures stopped to breed. Did you notice that silence in forest? That's because there are no creatures there. Even no monsters. Oh well monsters still exist but they are very rare now. Besides, that sickness made us more vulnerable on any simple disease" –he explained

-"Is there any way we can stop it?" –asked Hikaru

-"Certainly. We have a cure. And it is sitting over here. Oh… sorry, here" –he said first pointing at red-haired girl but he then pointed at blonde in green dress when he remembered that they changed with their bodies. Hikaru lifted her brows in question.

-"Me?"

-"Yes, you are" –he smiled

-"But how am I supposed to fix this?" –she asked in astonishment

-"Simple. By using your magic. You see… When you removed pillar system in Cephiro, the balance was heavily disturbed. Yes we were able to build Cephiro on our own, as you wished. However, when Moondart's soldiers came here and began to make this mess, the magic balance collapsed. And this sickness is effect of this"

-"You think that I'll be able to use my power? I mean… I got rid of that system" –she said not convinced

-"I'm sure. The proof is that you got here. Actually you didn't destroy that system completely. You have just made Cephiro less addicted to pillar. It will not fall apart without you but it's better if you are here" –he ended

-"Right. If that would be everything about current situation, let's talk about our problem." –said Umi

-"Oh well. You changed with your bodies because Hikaru transported you improperly. It's not her fault Umi. She just needs a little more practice" –he said

-"That's just great" –Umi said frowning at Hikaru

-"First I need to tell you that if you leave Cephiro through the path into another world, your magic energy stays here. But it is constantly pulled into it's owner. I think that after becoming a pillar Hikaru have become so powerful that her energy started to strike border of worlds with such force that it punched a hole in it and flew into other side. This created a "wild" path which, not like the normal one, is letting magic through. So Fuu's and Umi's energy also got into them"

-"What does it have in common with body swap?" –asked irritated Umi

-"Let me finish. When you passed through that path, it has become extremely unstable because it's not as solid as the previous one. I can feel it even from here. If mixed with Hikaru's no experience it have made your souls join bodies in wrong order upon arrival" –he explained

-"Could you fix it? We tried to use magic but we have changed again after little time" –she said. Clef frowned at them and said

-"You what?! That was very unwise from your side. Improper casting of such spells is incredibly dangerous! You could have even killed yourself! Who had such a foolish idea?!" –he thundered. Umi have blushed when Fuu and Hikaru frowned at her

-"Never mind" –she said –"Now could you fix it?"

-"Certainly. Just hold still" –he said and pointed his staff on them. Their vision began to blur again and after a while they were once again in their right bodies"

-"Fuu give me my medallion" –said Hikaru and her friend done as she asked

-"Is it permanent now?" –asked Ferio

-"Oh well, it should. However after their manipulations it is possible that spell can be not accepted. So there's possibility that they'll swap again" –answered Guru

-"Better than nothing" –said Caldina

-"Yes, because we always get nothing when we really need help. What a nice change" –Hikaru said coldly and turned her eyes on a wall.

Everybody looked at her in question of such abusive behavior. Umi and Fuu gasped when they noticed Hikaru's medallion glowing violet again.

-"What? Why are you…" –started Presea but Clef motioned her to be quiet

-"Maybe you should ask nicely when you need help?" –he said

Hikaru frowned at him in irritation.

-"Me? Ask you? I will, if I ever need a grumbling of an old mad man" –she said smiling provocatively

Caldina, Presea and Lafarga looked at Hikaru like they've seen a ghost, but Guru didn't seem to be affected any way by such insult.

-"And you could use some. Maybe that would thrust some mind into your head" –he said calmly

Hikaru stopped smiling and frowned at him. Medallion on her neck started to glow more brightly.

-"How dare you speaking to me like this?" –she hissed with anger

-"Why should I speak to you with respect little child?" –he said

Medallion started to flash dangerously. Black ribbons began to whirl around it.

-"I'm a pillar and a magic knight. You have to address me with respect!" –she almost yelled

-"Pillar? Oh I forgot it. You're so childish. Not reminding of a pillar in any way" –he answered

It looks like he wanted to totally lead her out of balance. And it seems he did it.

-"You're starting to piss me off. Maybe death shall teach you something" –she aimed her hand at him and shouted –"_Death ray!_"

A violet beam of light shot out of her hand in direction of Guru, who jumped away at the last moment and dodged deadly spell. A strike-wave of a powerful explosion on the other side of chamber thrown everybody into air. Presea, Clef and Lafarga struck ceiling and fell on the floor while Umi, Fuu, Ferio and Caldina crashed into walls. Hikaru wasn't affected so she stood where she was standing.

The room was demolished. A huge hole appeared in spot on a wall where Hikaru's spell exploded. Rubble was all over the floor. Table was smashed into pieces. Walls and ceiling were covered with cracks. After a few moments everybody one by one stood up on their legs shaking off dust from themselves.

-"Everybody ok?" –yelled Lafarga.

-"Yea" –said Ferio helping Fuu to get up.

-"Oh… My head…" –groaned Presea

-"Hikaru?" –said Umi

In center of that mess Hikaru was standing, with hands covering her mouth and tears over her face.

-"I… I… I didn't want to!!" –she screamed through tears

-"I know. Calm down. It's not your fault" –Clef was calming her

***

Guru have magicaly cleared all the rubble and repaired table. Now they all sat at the table. Umi and Fuu tried to calm down still shocked Hikaru.

-"Now would you deign to tell us all WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" –Caldina yelled at Clef

-"Black magic" –he replied calmly

When he said this Hikaru started to cry even more hysterically. She covered her face with hands.

-"Black…Magic…" – Presea replied slowly

-"How is this possible? Magic knight using black magic? How?! Why?!" –Lafarga was almost screaming

-"It's that medallion! It's cursed!" –hissed angry Umi

-"No, pillar's emblem cannot be cursed. It flashes with those colors because it's reflecting her feelings" –negated Clef

Everybody, including Hikaru, looked at him in astonished.

-"Pillar's emblem? But I got it from…" –began Hikaru

-"…Lantis. Yes I know and that's why it has become the emblem. Remember what I told you? The emblem changes its shape to fit perfectly for current pillar. You're in love Hikaru and that's logical that gift from him became most precious to you. And that's why medallion was endowed with power of pillar. I must warn you that if it gets damaged, you will die" –Guru explained

-"Oh my god" –sighed Umi

-"That doesn't explain what is possessing her" –grunted Ferio

-"Well I have an idea of what it might be, but I have to check my notes first. For now I think we all need some sleep. Especially Hikaru. It's too much for her per one day. Caldina please lead girls to their rooms. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

-"Can I ask you for something guys?" –said Hikaru

-"Go ahead" –said Presea

-"When Lantis returns… uh…" –she looked down

-"Oh, I'll tell him to pay you a visit tomorrow" –said Caldina and smiled

-"No… Tell him not to meet with me" –Hikaru replied. Everybody looked at her in question.

-"…because I could fall in that trance again and hurt him" –she added with sadness


	4. 4 Black and white

**NOTES: I forgot to tell that but please note that "pillar's emblem" is just that thing that was once Emeraude's crown, later Hikaru's light-sword and now is her medallion. I just got no idea how this item was generally called in english so I'll just call it the emblem**

**And guys PLEASE review! Write positive OR negative if you think that it's crappy. I don't fear critique (However positive reviews would be encouraging to continue that story). If you won't review, for me this means that… nobody's reading my story! :O And that's a good reason to quit writing.**

Chapter 4 – Black and White

Guru Clef was standing in front of a big window in a meeting chamber. He was staring on Autosam ships, floating in a distance on a night-sky, often illuminated by lightnings. From half an hour he was doing nothing than observing those ships.

He couldn't sleep. He had too much on his head right now, to fall asleep. Not even talking about war in Cephiro. It was nothing if compared to his real dilemma. And that dilemma was Umi.

He has changed. He was no longer looking like a young boy. He now had an adult look. About 25 years old. He was making excuses before himself, that he needed more charismatic and serious appearance than 10 years old boy. He was now Cephiro's most respected defender after all.

But real reason of his change was her. The magic knight of water. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't suppress his feelings. Practically he changed his look to be in perfect age for that young girl. Love was stronger than mind with experience earned through 749 years.

But he couldn't ever think of binding with her. Such couple would be sick, not to say pathological. With that age he could be her far ancestor. Nothing good would result from such coupling. Even if she loved him back. And she did.

So he promised himself that if she returns, he will do anything he can, to make her bind with Ascot. He was more appropriate for her. Besides, he also loved her. Yes, that was better choice for Umi.

Doors opened wide and dark-haired, tall man wearing shiny, black plate-armor entered chamber. A little fairy-like creature was flying around his head and speaking with certain tone

-"…and that's a far better strategy. That's it! Lure them and give a solid punch in both flanks. Of course your tactic is also good, but I think that as head commander of Cephiro's army you should be a little more creative…"

Lantis maintained his poker face. He wasn't ignoring her, but he just got used to Primera's never closing mouth and wasn't showing any emotions for her long lecture.

-"You're late" –said Guru without turning back

-"I know. I found another squad of scouts on northern border of forest" –Lantis replied

-"…and they ran immediately when they seen us. Ha! We are invincible aren't we Lantis?" –fairy ended with excitement

-"Primera could you leave us for a moment? We have important things to discuss with Lantis"" –asked Clef turning on them

Fairy stopped in place like a humming-bird and frowned at Guru

-"What? Oh no no no. Why should I…"

-"Do as he says" –Lantis interrupted her –"It's really important"

Primera looked at him in question but she didn't dare to argue with him. She lifted her chin and left chamber with offended look.

-"So they've returned" –said Lantis when doors closed behind Primera

-"Yes. How do you know?" –asked Clef

-"It would be hard to not know. The castle is boiling with news about glorious return of the magic knights together with pillar. Guards at the main door were so astonished that they forgot to ask me for a password" –he explained

Clef sighed

-"Girls got back sooner than I expected" –he said

-"Are they ok?"

-"Yes. There was a little… confusion but we already got rid of it"

-"And what about Hikaru?"

Clef looked down and sighed again

-"It seems nightmare scenario came true"

Lantis looked at him with half-closed eyes

-"Can we turn it back?"

-"I'm afraid it's too late" –replied Guru

Lantis swore and started walking nervously in circle. After a minute he asked

-"Is it that bad? Can we do anything about it?"

-"Well… We are still able to weaken symptoms. But we don't have much time. She has already started to use black magic. Fortunately she didn't start to shift yet. But it's just a matter of time before she will. And she MUST be able to control herself before this happens"

-"Did you tell them?"

-"No I didn't. They were already too shaken. Besides, I wanted to wait for you, Geo and Ascot. I think that everyone should be aware of danger. I told them that I must search my notes a little" –Guru explained

-"Not bad pretext"

-"Well, I will tell them at the breakfast"

Lantis looked down

-"Is she sleeping in her old room?"

-"Yes. Go but don't wake her up. She needs rest" –Guru warned him

-"I won't wake her up. I just want to… have a look" –Lantis replied and went in direction of doors.

-"Lantis?"

He stopped and turned around

-"Yes?"

-"You know that… If things will get out of control… we will have to reach for final means. We cannot sacrifice Cephiro" –Clef said with sadness

Lantis closed his eyes and stood in silence for a moment.

-"I will never let that happen. I swear" –he said and left the chamber

***

It was night. She was walking a hallway for a long time. Although she couldn't remember how long. Her mind was lost in stupor. Nothing had sense right now. As she was unable to remember anything she just gave up on observing and letting her body do what it was about to do.

She knocked two times in orange colored doors.

-"Who's there?" –said Presea's voice from inside

-"It's me" –Hikaru replied

Voice of steps began to reach her from inside. Immediately after she heard a click of a lock she kicked doors with a force of a battering-ram. Doors flew in the air and hit the wall with a deafening clang as they were ripped from the hinges by Hikaru's kick.

She stepped inside the room and looked around. A small bed was standing under wall on a right. A wooden desk under wall on the left. Small battle-axe and grey rag were lying on it. It appears that Presea was cleaning her weapons before a moment. Finally her eyes rested on Presea kneeling under the wall in front of Hikaru. A blood was running from her temple and over her cheek. Although still stunned by hit of a heavy metal doors, she lifted her head slowly on Hikaru with eyes half closed from pain.

Hikaru only smiled, pointed her hand at Presea and said –"_Death ray_"

A Black beam shot away from Hikaru's palm and hit Presea in face. There was no explosion. Only a black-violet flash. Presea sighed and fell dead on the floor.

Hikaru was staring a moment on dead body of her friend. When she heard a voice behind her she turned around and saw a little girl. That was the same child she saw in her previous dream.

The red haired girl was staring with fear on Hikaru coming closer to her. But she didn't run. She only dropped her sword (identical to Hikaru's one, only shorter) and covered her mouth with hands.

Hikaru came up to scared child and looked down on the her with a smile. She stroked her hair with a hand. Shocked child looked up on Hikaru's face. Hikaru only picked up girl's sword and put it in her hand.

-"Here. Now get back to your room Kajiru"

The girl done as she was told. She ran from Presea's room with cry. Hikaru turned around to look again at dead Presea lying on the floor and she heard a terrible scream. Her own scream.

***

It was already morning when Hikaru woke up from a nightmare with a scream. She desperately tried to catch a breath. Her heart was beating like a hammer in her chest. She was whole wet from sweat.

-"Don't be afraid… That was just a dream. I'm here with you" –someone said and helped her to sit

She felt excitement. That voice was so familiar. She looked in direction of its source.

-"Lantis…" –she sighed and immediately fell in his arms. He embraced her and gently squeezed to his chest.

-"It's okay. I'm here" –he respond

After so much sorrow and pain of yearning, her wish has been finally fulfilled. Happiness filled her so much that she forgot about horrors of her nightmare. She totally gave herself into this wonderful moment. All that pain earned through three years has been finally rewarded.

After a while, which was like eternity for her, she came off him and looked in his face with fear.

-"You shouldn't be coming here. I'm dangerous and…" –she cut her phrase when he placed his finger on her lips and kissed her in forehead.

-"Clef told me everything about it. I know more than you do" –he replied with smile

-"So he found out what it is? He told you?"

-"Yes but don't ask me. He is going to explain it at the breakfast. Even Geo came up" –he said

-"Wh... What? They are already there?"

He nodded

-"And you're not telling me anything! Come on" -she said jumping out of her bed

***

When doors of meeting chamber opened wide before Hikaru and Lantis, everybody at the table looked at them.

-"Pu Puu!!" –some fluffy ball with rabbit ears and large purple gem on forehead jumped on Hikaru's arms

-"Mokona!"

-"Hi Hikaru!" –shouted Ascot sitting at the table

-"Hi there!" –shouted a young boy in a mechanic's suit

-"Zazu?!" –Hikaru got surprised

-"What took you so long? How long people sleep in your world? Sit down!" –said annoyed Caldina pointing at two empty chairs

Hikaru took place between Umi and Fuu and in front of Lantis. They both started eating.

Cephiro cooking was a lot different than Earth's. There were not too much meat and most of foods had pudding consistency. Although meals were mostly varying with color, each one's flavor was different. Many were sweet, sour or spicy but their taste was generally great.

Mokona sat on table in front of Umi who was eating some kind of soup. She was making funny faces and made Umi giggle every time she tried to take a spoon of soup into her mouth.

-"Do that again and I'll hit you" –said Umi annoyed

-"Puu Puu!" –replied Mokona, jumped off the table and disappeared under it

Umi looked around mistrustfully and took a spoon of soup. She choked when all of a sudden Mokona jumped behind her with a squeak and then sat back on the table. After receiving several hits in her back from Fuu to stop choking, Umi picked a spoon and thrown it at Mokona in anger. Mokona made a dodge and spoon, after bouncing from a table, hit Caldina right in her face.

-"Oh… Sorry Caldina. I aimed at that fur-ball" –she sweat-dropped under Caldina's irritated look

After a while noise in chamber became louder. Ferio was bantering with Fuu. Lantis and Geo were eating in silence. Caldina, after wigging Umi and Mokona, returned to her conversation with Lafarga. Ascot was talking with Zazu. Clef was arguing hardly with Primera about something.

-"Geo can I ask you something?" –said Hikaru among general noise.

-"Yeah. What is it?"

-"You said that Autosam needed a new leader after Eagle's death… But what about his father?"

Geo looked down on his plate.

-"He's dead. He died just in time when we were coming back to Autosam. Death from disease"

-"That's terrible…"

-"Well… He had an easy death. He died asleep. At least he didn't have a chance to see our land dying"

She wanted to say something but in that moment Ferio stood up from his chair and motioned everybody to be quiet.

-"If everybody finished, I think it is time to speak about recent events. Clef, did you dig up something from your notes?" –he said

-"Well, as I promised I made some research and… results are not looking good" –he replied

-"Do you know who is taking control over Hikaru?" –asked Ferio

Guru looked down and sighed

-"Yes"

-"Then who?" –pushed him Presea

-"Nobody. She is doing it"

Silence. Everybody stared at Guru for a while and then, slowly, all faces turned on shocked Hikaru who opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with a hand.

-"But… but… It's not me! I would never do something like this! Please! Believe me!"

-"Are you insane!? She is right! She wouldn't attack or even offend her friends!" –growled Lafarga

-"Yes. But only in normal state"

-"What do you mean 'in normal state'?" –said Presea

-"Did you know that if your magic is enough powerful, it will stay even after your death? Tell me… Who was the most powerful person that you killed?" –he asked turning into Hikaru, Umi and Fuu

They all three thought for a moment. Then Umi opened her eyes wide in fear.

-"Debonair…" –she said silently

-"Yes. She is dead but her energy has remained in this world. Normally it should disperse and fade in Cephiro's life cycle. Unfortunately it did not. Something has happened. I have no clue how did it happened but…" –he looked down

-"What? What happened?" –pushed Caldina

-"Energies of Hikaru and Debonair have joined together. And that is the cause of this trouble. When this new energy pierced through the border into another world and joined Hikaru, it caused severe changes in her. Her soul has literally split into two parts. The bright side – Our kind, brave magic knight of fire. The dark side – Ruthless, arrogant warrior of shadow. Opposite of magic knight"

After he finished talking, silence arose in the whole chamber, disturbed only by sound of Primera's little wings. It took a while before Hikaru finally broke the silence.

-"Is it possible to turn it back?"

-"No. It's too late. Changes are too big. If we would try to tear the black magic from you, you would die. Now it is part of your own vital energy"

Hikaru looked down sadly

-"Is there any way I can learn to control myself?"

-"There is one way. But it is not a pleasant one. You must learn to wield black magic"

-"Oh I think she is already pretty good at this" –said annoyed Caldina and pointed at large hole in a wall – a reminder of yesterday evening. They didn't repair it yet.

-"For her dark side – yes. But I mean that her BRIGHT side has to learn how to cast those deadly spells properly"

-"And what for? To kill us quicker?" –said irritated Lafarga

-"If the bright side is able to control dark side's powers – she can partially control it. However partially is the key word. No matter how skilled, she will never be able to fully control herself. This means she will be conscious and fully aware of what is she doing but her personality will be changed" –he explained

-"So she will have some kind of err… ego duality?" –asked Fuu

-"Well… we could say so" –he answered

-"But how am I supposed to learn black magic?" –asked Hikaru

-"I will teach you. I have no dark powers but I have a lot of theoretical knowledge about such forces. And that's more than enough for your training. We need to start immediately. We are living only because your yesterday spell went wrong" –Guru said

-"What? It went wrong?" –Caldina lifted her brows

-"Yes. In whole my life I've seen spell like this only a few times. But with my skills I could easily feel its purpose and nature yesterday. This spell should not explode and throw us about the room but rather…"

-"…kill immediately?" –Hikaru finished for him

Everybody looked at her

-"Yes. Everybody in the room would just fall dead on the floor. How do you know?" –Clef lifted his brows in question

-"Uh… well… I just guessed"

He looked at her suspiciously for a few moments, but finally turned his eyes away when Geo stood up from his chair and said

-"So if that would be everything…"

-"Are you ok Fuu?" –asked Umi. Fuu was holding her hand on her head. Her face was pale.

-"I… I am… Oh…" –she sighed, caught for her heart and fell from her chair on the floor

-"Fuu!" –Ferio jumped from his chair and kneeled next to Fuu

-"Fuu-chan! What's wrong with you?!" –Hikaru looked at her terrified

Fuu didn't respond. She just closed her eyes.

-"DO SOMETHING!!!" –Ferio yelled on Clef with panic in his voice

***

Fuu was lying on bed in medical flank section of Cephiro castle. She was silently groaning with her every breath. Ferio was sitting at the edge of her bed, stroking her hair. All the rest were waiting on side.

-"What's happening to her?" –asked Umi with fear

-"It appears that she got most fierce form of sickness" –said Lafarga

-"Is she going to die?" –asked Hikaru

-"Her heart is swelling. After some time it will be ripped apart from pressure" –replied Guru

-"Oh my god…" –whispered Umi

-"You said I can destroy that plague! How?" –said almost crying

-"By restoring balance and Cephiro itself. You must make a wish over your emblem. Hey! What are you…" –Clef shouted behind her as she started to run.

She ran up to a window and opened it wide. Everybody, including medics and other patients were observing her. She looked at view behind the window of floating castle and linked her hands. Her medallion began to glow with white light as she closed her eyes and whispered something.

Floor of the castle began to vibrate. With every second it was vibrating stronger and stronger. Also Hikaru's medallion was glowing brighter.

Suddenly medallion sent out blinding explosion of white light. People that were gathered in the room covered their faces with hands but wave of light simply passed through them without doing any harm.

***

Two soldiers were waiting under huge defense tower of a base. A smell of burned trees was floating in the air from dead forest surrounding the base.

-"Ahh… finally" –said one of them when he saw a hovercraft-truck closing in on a gate from the road that was once a forest trail. Now it was a road between two lines of black, charred trees.

When the truck stopped at the gate, soldiers came up to a driver.

-"What do you got?"

-"5 crates"

Soldier frowned at him

-"Only 5? For 10 hours you acquired only 5 crates?!"

-"Maybe you wanna try huh? I'm sure you are better at operating collector" –replied irritated driver

-"Alright alright…It's better than nothing… Oh shit what the hell is that?!!!" –he shouted and pointed on something behind truck.

Everybody looked in direction of the soldier was pointing and were paralyzed by fear. A huge wave of blinding white light was dashing on them from the distance. So high that it looked like it was reaching the sky.

-"LEGGIT!!!" –yelled second soldier and started to run

Alarms shrieked all over the outpost. People were desperately searching for a shelter in total chaos around the whole base. After a moment, wave of light rolled by the outpost hiding it in a blinding flash.

It took a moment before light faded and exposed untouched base with confused people looking at each other. But they were even more surprised when they saw what happened.

Trees of forest around the base were revived. Everybody stared in awe at trees sprouting with leaves and high grass shooting up from the ground. Flowers appeared everywhere, even on buildings and vehicles.

-"What… is… this…" –whispered one of the soldiers

***

Fuu woke up in a bed. Not her own bed. She tried to look around but she didn't have her glasses and her vision was far too blurry to trust. She could only see profiles of three persons at her bed. She could hear their voices but could not understand words. Her head was too dizzy. She tried to sit but immediately hissed from pain and caught for heart. It hurt.

-"Fuu! You're awake!" –said glad Ferio and hugged her

-"How do you feel?" –asked Umi and sit on edge of her bed

-"Uh… It still… hurts…" –she replied with weak voice

-"Here" –he put her glasses on her nose –"You want some water? Or maybe eat something? Don't be shy, just say"

-"Ferio quit it, she's tired" –said Umi

-"What happened? I remember the breakfast and… I've passed out"

Ferio, Hikaru and Umi looked at each other

-"Nothing. It's nothing bad. You just got a little sick" –Umi said and smiled

-"Would you like me to stay with you?" –Ferio asked

-"If that wouldn't be a problem for you" –she answered with smile

-"Oh don't worry. Hikaru, Umi could you go and tell everybody that Fuu's okay?"

It was clear that this was only a pretext to leave him alone with Fuu. Hikaru and Umi looked at each other, shrugged and left the room.

***

-"We need to ask somebody for new clothes. Our own are dirty" –said Umi

-"And a little bath would be nice" –added Hikaru

-"Oh yeah…" –Umi replied thoughtfully

-"So, can you remember what is where in here?"

-"Err… no, it looks like we need a guide"

-"Oh, well. Let's talk with Presea. She will surely know… oh, excuse me?" –Hikaru said when she saw a guard passing by with a sparking halberd in hand

-"Yes?"

-"Could you tell us where is Mrs. Presea's room?"

-"Master smith Presea? Simple, go straight…" –and he began to explain 'simple' way to Presea's room, which for girls looked like a true maze.

-"Oh well, thanks anyway" –Hikaru said when he finished. The guard then went away.

***

-"Thank you" –said Fuu and drank strange potion she received from doctor, who immediately have gone to treat other patients, leaving Fuu and Ferio alone. After she emptied the glass she said –"What was that?"

-"A renovation potion. It heals and restores your strength. Commonly used these days. You will feel like new after few minutes" –he explained with smile, still sitting at the edge of her bed

-"Well…" –she put empty glass on the nightstand –"…can I ask you something?"

-"Of course. Shoot"

-"Since when you've become a prince?"

-"Immediately after your departure from Cephiro. After my sister's death, I've become the last living descendant of royal dynasty. So it was logical outcome"

-"It must be very responsible function" –she said

He looked at the window thoughtfully

-"Well, at first I was afraid of this avalanche of duties that was about to fall on my head. But it wasn't that bad. With help of the others I managed to get through the worst. Besides, it's a little fun. Everybody are obeying my orders" –he grinned

-"I wonder how it feels like" –she said in reverie

-"You won't have to wonder for too long" –he said

She lifted her brows

-"What do you mean?"

-"Oh Fuu think about it, You are the princess!" –he said

-"M… me?!"

He nodded

-"Of course. Who do you think you are, if I love you, my emerald?" –he grinned and kissed her in cheek

-"Oh, right. But we must have a marriage first right?"

He looked at her in question

-"Marriage?"

-"Err… You didn't ever hear of marriage in Cephiro right?"

-"Marriage? Err… Nope. What is that?"

Fuu couldn't help but giggle.

-"Never mind. I'll tell you another time" –she said

-"Well… Fuu I need to ask you… remember that communication stone I gave you? Do you still have it?"

-"Oh yes I have it. Why?"

-"Keep it all the time. Okay? Do not leave it anywhere. Always wear it in your pocket"

-"I will" –she said with smile

***

-"They are still in danger…" –said Guru -"They haven't been changed yet but it's only a matter of time"

-"But in Fuu's and Umi's case we are able to stop it" –answered Lantis

-"No. In Hikaru's case it would be possible to do anything if we could act a few hours before, but with Umi and Fuu the situation is just hopeless. They WILL be changed Lantis. We cannot do anything" –Clef said looking at the window.

The view behind the window was beautiful after Hikaru's spell. It was almost like Cephiro before that all trouble before 3 years. Well... almost. The only thing that spoiled the view was armada of Autosam battleships on the sky.

-"So we can't do anything to save them from this?! You can't be serious!" –growled Lantis

-"Unfortunately they have been already affected in a little way by Hikaru's own magical aura. We could say they've been 'infected' with it in a certain way. It have already begun. All we can do is to make them pass through it as less fiercely as possible."

-"What if they'll all start to shift?"

Clef sighed

-"We can only hope that they will be ready until that time"

-"Good thing that in three, they will be harder to kill than only Hikaru"

Clef turned around to him quickly

-"Lantis! I don't want to do this but I'll MUST if the situation gets critical! Do you think that I feel good because of knowledge that one day I might have to give order to kill them? You know that this can be necessary. As I said…"

-"…we cannot sacrifice Cephiro" –Lantis finished for him –"You know what? I would like to die instead of killing them or watching them get murdered by one of their friends"

Clef sighed

-"We must do anything to not let that come to this point" –said Clef

**NOTES: Here ya go. Next chapter should be ready in about a week. But again please READ AND REVIEW. No reviews will make me quit writing. Why to write if I don't have a proof that anybody reads me? And not all mysteries have been revealed. I know my style might be little annoying but I'm doing my best to improve it.**

**So if you like the story, REVIEW! It don't have to be an epic description of that fanfic. Just write a few words whether it was good or not!!!  
**


	5. 5 General sortouts

**NOTES: Hope you like the story so far. I do :D But what really ****make me furious are the errors inside of already updated chapter. I thought I'm gonna break my keyboard when I saw that in certain place I wrote 'he' instead of 'she' (forgot of ONE little letter called 'the S' aargh!). Whatever… Just read, review and eventually have fun.**

Chapter 5 – General sort-outs

Doors of ship bridge room opened automatically and a thin black haired man in officer's suit stepped inside. There was wide line of computers, consoles and terminals, each with a man in front of it. On upper part of the huge window were series of monitors. Three biggest of them were showing Cephiro palace, battleship NSX and a base with some strange machines.

The officer came up to a bald, huge man standing in a centre of the room. Bare looking at this man was inspiring fear. He was so big that the officer, if compared to him, was looking like a kid. His big combat armor was making this feeling even stronger. A thick cable was coming out of his shoulder into his temple. Terrible scar was going through his cheek and his short crooked nose. He turned around to face an officer who immediately saluted him.

-"At ease Yoltz. What do you want?" –he said with a bass voice

The man called Yoltz lowered his hand from salute and said with uncertain voice

-"General… We have a problem. The magic knights…"

-"…have returned. And pillar with them" –General finished for him –"Yes I know soldier… and they already started to cause trouble. It seems that old fool was right"

-"You mean Myosomus?"

-"Of course. We have only one freak of his kind on this ship…"

-"I may be suspicious Moondart. But I was helpful, wasn't I? Oh yes yes yes… I was very helpful indeed…" –said some obsessional voice

Both men turned in direction of that voice and saw a thin cloaked man. His long robe in color of pale purple was jagged and badly damaged in many places, making him look like a beggar. There was a mad smile on his terribly wrinkled face. He was propping on a strange staff with black gem on its top.

-"Certainly mage. You were, but I hope that your help won't end on this" –Moondart said coldly

-"No no no how could it?! Our work is not finished and what is not finished must be finished to drink sweet juice of victory at finish!" –he said and ended with a manic smile

-"So, you were right Myosomus. The magic knights have returned. And the pillar has already started to make confusion"

The old mage suddenly have lost his mad grin and become extremely serious.

-"Oh yesss… I saw the work of new pillar from the window of my shelter… Or 'the cabin' how you, the masters of metal beasts like to call it. This is veeery bad… Oh… very bad indeed… We will need to bring destruction to the land again" –he said with mysterious voice

-"Could you tell me what is the point of burning those forests anyway?"

-"Don't ask!! You can't! This… is not easy to understand… It is not time to reveal its purpose. But do not fear! Time will come and you will have big gains from this… Oh yesss… very big profit…" –with every word he was more reminding of a maniac

-"You should tell me mage, if you want me to waste ammunition for burning meaningless…"

-"NO!!! These forests are NOT meaningless!! This is vital to our plans! You must send green trees to oblivion again! If you won't, my help will be useless so I will offer no more of it!"

-"Alright alright calm down… So you suggest anything in case of those magic knights?"

Myosomus smiled

-"Ahh… yesss… You must take them alive Moondart. You have to, or else our efforts will be doomed. And if they will be doomed, your homeland will be too"

-"So you say to capture them?" –General lifted his brows

-"This is the most exact interpretation of my words… Yesss… Bring them into captivity without greater harm. I will give you a word when to strike. You must wait before that moment! Or everything is lost! When this is done, I shall reveal few further steps of your ladder to triumph. Until then, I can be found in my little home in stomach of your steel beast" –he said and slowly left through automatic doors

-"Are you sure it is safe to trust him sir?" –asked Yoltz

-"I'm not sure… He is suspicious. However we cannot negate that he didn't let us down so far. After all, we could say that I owe him my life. I only wonder what is he up to…" –General said thoughtfully

***

-"You should ask that guard to write a map for us" –said annoyed Umi when they passed the same hallway crossroad fourth time. The situation was even more hopeless because they didn't remember how to get back into medical section. Curiously enough, they met no one on their way.

-"Don't panic. We just need to find someone to tell us the way"

-"Can you see anybody here? It seems that we have gone into deserted section of the castle"

After few minutes of walking they both heard a loud voices coming from corridor ahead.

-"Come here you stupid puffball! Now you're running huh?! I'll fry you!!!" –some tiny voice screamed

-"Pu pu pu!! Puu!!!" –Mokona shrieked

Hikaru and Umi sweat-dropped when they saw a scene that looked like taken alive from cartoons. Mokona was running from Primera who was chasing her with a halberd 10 times bigger than her. She was sending lightnings from the halberd down on Mokona but the fluffy creature was easily dodging them.

-"I wonder what Mokona did this time…" –said astonished Umi

-"Eat this!! Scared of me?! Run till you can!!!" –Primera screamed and shot two lightnings on Mokona

-"Hey! What are you doing?! You want to hurt her?!" –yelled Hikaru when Mokona jumped on her arms

-"Hurt her? No… I want to kill her!!" –screamed angry fairy

-"What did she done at all?"

-"I was just having a nap in the gardens and that monster thrown me off a tree right into pond! You won't get off lightly this time!!!" –She screamed at Mokona

-"Hey! Where did you get this? Isn't that guard's halberd? Give me… AAAAAAHH!!!"

Immediately after Umi's hand touched a blade of halberd, she was hit by powerful dose of electricity.

-"Are you mad? You can't touch the blade or you will get fried" –Primera said when Umi was trying to get up from the floor.

-"N-n-now you t-t-tell me" –Umi said still trembling from electroshock.

After a while, Umi finally stood up with Hikaru's help.

-"Hey! Could you lead us to Presea's room? We got lost in here" –said Hikaru

Primera looked at her and laughed

-"Presea's room? You are looking for it in bad section of castle" –she said

-"We got lost. It was long since we've been here last time"

-"Pu puu!"

Mokona jumped from Hikaru's arms on the floor and shot a blue beam from her gem right in Hikaru's face.

-"What the? Hey what are you doing?" –Umi looked at Mokona in question

Hikaru was standing with closed eyes for a few seconds and after a while grinned at Mokona.

-"Thanks Mokona. You're a genius!"

-"What did she done to you?" –Umi asked

-"I know the way. Follow me" –she said

-"Pu pu puu!" –Mokona jumped and bumped into Primera in midair. The fairy fell on the floor and before she even realized what happened, the fluffy creature was already running away"

-"You filthy monster!!! You are dead!!! You have gone too far this time!!!" –Primera screamed and flew after Mokona

***

They finally came up to orange doors. Hikaru felt strange when she knocked twice in those doors just like in her dream.

Doors opened wide and Presea stood in them to look who came to visit her

-"Oh hello. What do you need girls?" –she asked with smile

-"If that wouldn't be a trouble… Could you show us the palace? We almost got lost in here and… We don't even know where the bathrooms are…"

Presea smiled at them

-"Of course girls, that's no problem. Just give me a second" –Presea said and disappeared in her room. A moment later she came back with a key to her room.

-"Let's go then" –she said

-"Uh… Presea? Isn't that a weapon of some guard?" –Umi said handing sparking halberd to Presea who frowned.

-"Oh no, Primera… I told her not to touch the armory. Guess Mokona pissed her off right?"

-"Exactly. What is that anyway?" –said Umi looking at the halberd

-"A storm halberd. It's just a weapon enchanted with magic. Very popular among the guards"

She put halberd in her room and locked the doors.

-"Alright. Let's go. I think you need a bath first. And certainly new clothes. You got dust all over them…" –Presea said after putting the halberd in her room and locking up doors

-"So where could we get some clothes?" –said Hikaru

-"You have wardrobes in your rooms. Caldina didn't show you?"

Girls shook their heads in negation

-"Well… guess I'll have to. How's situation with Fuu?"

-"She has woken up. And she looks better"

-"That's great. It's so good that you've intervened Hikaru. In the moment when even Clef was helpless, you've done a simple thing that saved not only Fuu, but all those people dying from the plague. I even heard that people are going to celebrate return of magic knights" –said Presea and laughed

-"I just rescued my friend. That's all" –she replied with a smile

-"And I forgot to thank you Hikaru-san"

Presea Umi and Hikaru turned around

-"Fuu! You got up from bed? You should rest" –said Hikaru

-"I feel fine. I drank some medicines" –Fuu replied with smile

-"So, full assembly's in here. Perfect" –Presea said grinning

***

Presea led girls to palace bathrooms. Those weren't looking like any earth bathroom, even in rich houses (like Umi's one). It was simply a huge pool built into the floor.

-"Take your time. I'll be back in a few minutes" –said Presea and left the bathroom with three girls in the hot water.

Water was brilliant. Not too cold, not too hot. Whole surface was covered by foam. Clothes, armors and towels were waiting on the floor for their owners.

-"Now it's starting to look like Cephiro" –said Umi relaxing in hot water

After a while of silence Hikaru said thoughtfully

-"I wonder what are they waiting for… Moondart has clear advantage over us"

-"Do you have to talk about war right now? It's fine they are not attacking. Geo and Clef can take a breath. And we have time to prepare ourselves" –said annoyed Umi

-"We didn't saw Geo's fleet Hikaru-san. Maybe Moondart don't have so much advantage over him and is trying to eliminate him first before striking the palace" –added Fuu

-"But they aren't attacking him either…" –Hikaru replied and submerged a little in water

-"And it's better they're not. What are you worrying about? Let them wait like this a little more and we will be able to strike them first" –said Umi

Hikaru at first wanted to say something more but finally decided to stay silent. Maybe Umi was right. Why to bother her friends at all? Yes, it's not a time to worry about a war. For now, they should enjoy that moment when they don't have to fight, but relax in a drowsily warm water.

Doors of the bathroom opened and Presea stepped inside.

-"Here. When you finish, put this on" –she said and put three piles of clothes fold in a brick on the floor

-"Thank you Presea-san" –said Fuu

Doors opened again and a guard stood in them

-"Lady Presea. Could you come for a moment? We have a problem"

-"Let me guess… Those idiots in the eastern flank have frozen themselves again?"

-"Exactly"

-"There are some unfreezing stones in my… Oh, great. My room is locked… I will be back in a moment girls" –she said and left with a guard

Girls only glanced at each other, shrugged and laid comfortably in pleasantly hot water.

-"Is something wrong Hikaru-san? You look sad" –said Fuu after some time looking anxiously at her

-"I'm just scared because… now I can harm my friends… " –she said sadly

-"Don't worry. I'm sure that these lessons with Clef will help you. Besides, you also got us" –said Umi with a smile

-"Actually, this is what I'm afraid of"

Both Umi and Fuu lifted their brows

-"What do you mean?"

-"I was thinking about that and… I just can't risk your lives. I could bring you back to Tokyo if you wish to"

-"Are you mad?! Don't even think about that! You are our friend!" –said indignant Umi

-"I know, but you will be safer in home"

-"So what? You want us to leave you in here? No kidding"

-"We have come through many hardships Hikaru-san, but we only did it because we were together"

-"And we will stay together. We're like sisters. We never left you and we will never do" –ended Umi

Hikaru was looking on her both friends for a while, but finally grinned and said

-"Thanks. You are the best friends I ever had"

After some time girls came out of a pool, rubbed themselves with a towels and dressed up in a clothes witch Presea have brought. They've got surprised by their new dresses.

-"Wow! Look at these!" –said astonished Hikaru

The dresses brought by Presea were three long robes, each one in girl's favorite color. They had wide sleeves and were decorated by strange, amazing ornaments. Stripes and symbols were covering them, making a sense of harmony and beauty. Hikaru had red robe with yellow decorations, Umi had blue with light-cyan decorations and Fuu had green with white decorations. At first they were looking little too ponderous to do fast, quick moves, however they've turned out to be very swift and light. All ornaments seemed to radiate a weak light.

-"It's beautiful!" –said Umi

-"They look very official" –stated Fuu

When they've just put their armors on, Presea came in the bathroom.

-"Oh, you look lovely! Now throw your old clothes in there and we're ready to go" –she said pointing at a chute in a wall.

***

Presea led girls to most important places in the palace. Library, barracks, forgery, rest of medical section and even gardens. When they got up to armoury, Presea showed them and described most of weapons in usage in Cephiro. Shadow dagger, lava hammer, frost sword, rainbow mace, storm halberd, hurricane bow – each of this weapons were designed and crafted personally by Presea (including enchantment of them). And this yet wasn't whole arsenal of Cephiro army.

Then it came for training hall. It was largest of halls they've seen in here. It had size of a football field. It was filled by items witch were designed to help in honing skills of fencing, archery or even magic. Curiously enough, all weapons used for practice were sharp. Their doubts were quickly resolved by giant blue-orange gem built into the ceiling. This gem was to heal, regenerate, or even revive anybody who've accidentally received damage in combat. According to Presea it could even regenerate someone with head cut off. Immediate ideas of girls to use this powerful device in combat were killed by Presea who said that this was impossible because this item worked in nowhere but the training hall. However only guru Clef knew why.

She also told them how to get to room of each one of their friends or how to find wardrobes in their rooms (for unknown reason their wardrobes were hidden and were opened by secret lever). What were hidden in their wardrobes have charmed them. From simple shirts and skirts to beautiful gowns and robes. From plain clothings to fantastic dresses rich in decorations. Of course, red, blue and green were dominating in each girl's wardrobe.

-"Why everything did change so much? This is not the same castle I saw three years ago" –said Hikaru as they were walking further

-"We just needed more space and chambers when war came here, so Clef personally rebuilt the whole palace. Corridors are purposely more complicated. Intruders won't find it easy to move around in the palace" –Presea explained

After a long walk through the castle, they finally came up to their last goal. The habitation halls were situated in cellars. What made girls curious was the fact that this was probably best guarded place in the whole palace. When they came up to the last of the gates leading to the habitation halls, the guards have blocked their way with halberds.

-"I must check you before you can enter" –one of them said and took a strange green gem out of his pocket. He aimed it at Presea's face. Gem flashed few times. The guard nodded, turned to the girls and frowned.

-"Now who the hell is this?" –he asked coldly

-"You don't have to check them. They are the magic knights" –Presea answered

The result of her words was instant. Both guards opened their eyes wide and bowed before the visitors. Then they both turned to Fuu and one of them said

-"I'm sorry your highness. I didn't recognize you. I apologize"

Fuu blushed in embarrassment

-"Oh that's alright. You didn't done anything wrong" –she said and smiled

Guards immediately opened doors wide before them. At first, three magic knights thought that they've just came outside the castle. After a while they have realized that this were simply the habitation halls. Now it took a first place on their list of biggest places in the palace. This place was so big that it shouldn't fit in the whole castle. Before them, a wide plain was spreading far into horizon. Somewhere ahead, there was a large village.

They looked up, and they saw a large light ball on the blue ceiling. This thing seemed to have a role of the sun in the habitation halls. With every moment Cephiro was amazing three girls with greater force.

After a little walk down the path, they came up to the village. It wasn't reminding of any village they've been to before. Houses were rather big and were placed with harmony and order. Curiously enough every building was decorated with red, blue and green serpentines. There was a commotion on the streets as all people seemed to be very busy.

-"They are preparing celebration. Would you like to visit a marketplace? Amazing what people are selling there" –said Presea

-"All people of Cephiro are here?" –asked Hikaru

-"Well, not all. But majority. Some of foolish rogues and hermits are still out there, in the land. I don't miss bandits but… I wish no one to be caught by Moondart's soldiers"

-"Good thing they are not attacking people" –said Umi

-"Yes… but they can still capture them" –replied Presea

As the party was walking their way to the marketplace they were drawing more and more attention. People were stopping and staring astonished at Hikaru, Umi and Fuu. Whispers appeared all around them.

They've finally got up to marketplace. In crowd they were not drawing so much attention, although some surprised looks were still following them.

Items sold on marketplace have wondered girls. Except simple things like food there were also works of art. Figures cut of wood, pictures, metal casts, or even jewelry. Necklaces, bracelets, rings and such, all made with great precision. However there were also less subtle items like tools. Curiously enough they were very similar to simple tools on earth. Hammers, shovels, axes and saws could be found commonly on the marketplace. Although there was also great amount of items that girls had no idea of their purpose.

-"Ouch!" –Suddenly someone punched Hikaru with elbow right in her face

Crowd moved on sides to make passage for a tall man with short brown hair who was chased by the guards. He fell on the ground after receiving a lightning in his back. Guards quickly tied him before he stood up.

-"Hikaru! Are you okay?" –Umi shouted and helped Hikaru to get up

-"Mn… my head… uh…" –she groaned

-"What in the world is going on here?!" –Presea shouted to the guards

-"Oh finally! You've catched him!" –shouted some dumpy man in pale green robe who just ran up to the guards

-"_Healing wind!_" –Fuu said and green wind swirled around Hikaru's head.

-"Thanks Fuu-chan" –Hikaru said after a while

All people around stared at them in astonishment. Finally guards aimed their halberds at throat of tied man. Their commander hissed with fury

-"You scum… You've hit ruby flame! For attacking pillar we punish with death!"

-"No! Wait!" –yelled Hikaru

-"Oh she's right! Wait until he gives my money back. Then you can kill him" –said man in green robe

-"What has he done anyway?" –asked Umi

-"He committed a crime of theft. But it's nothing compared with that he hit pillar" –answered commander

Presea came up to tied man and asked

-"Why did you steal that money?"

-"I've been forced to! My family has been kidnapped by bandits! They will die if I won't steal for them" –he said and drilled his vision in the ground

-"Bandits? Here? That's a lie! He's just telling stories to escape punishment! But he will not escape the fact that he punched pillar" –yelled indignant merchant

-"Please you must believe me" –he turned to Hikaru -"I'm sorry that I hit you ruby flame, it was an accident. Please…"

-"It's okay. Tell me, what's your name?"

-"I'm Goraf"

-"Ok, Goraf… I will forgive you under one condition. Lead us to their hideout"

-"Oh no, don't go there! They said that if they will see anybody except me getting in there they will kill my wife and children!"

-"Don't worry. They won't have a time for this" –said Umi with a malicious smile

***

Cellar of small inn was dark and silent. At the table with a candle on it there were three men sitting and certainly waiting for something. The shortest one in hat was peeling a blue apple-like fruit with his dagger. Second one, with a bushy moustache and glasses was nervously looking at a hatch in the ceiling at the end of a ladder. Third one – the tallest with long brown hair, was sharpening an arrow with a whetstone. There was a woman, a girl and a little boy in the corner of the cellar.

-"Now where the hell is that dumb?" –said the shortest of three

-"I wouldn't be surprised if he got catched by the guards" –answered guy with long hair

-"Better he didn't. I could buy myself new gloves for that cash" –said annoyed man with glasses

A little girl in the corner groaned silently

-"Shut up" –grunted man in a hat

-"Quit staring at this blasted hatch. What are you expecting to see? Magic knights jumping in here?" –said long-hair

The man in glasses sent him a poisonous look. He looked thoughtfully at the ceiling and said

-"By the way, you heard today's rumors? The innkeeper says they are in the village…"

-"Who? The magic knights? Yeah. And I am Ray Moonwrath… or however he names himself… What business would they have in here? Get drunk in a tavern or something?" –said the long-hair and laughed

-"Maybe they want to see how preparations for the celebration are going"

-"I don't think so. They are too busy with fighting autodumbs"

They went silent. They were sitting like this for about ten minutes and suddenly, they all heard noise coming from above the ceiling.

-"Looks like idiot came back" –said man in the hat and got up from table

-"I'm gonna rip his guts out if he will bring nothing again" –grunted man with moustache

The hatch opened wide

-"What took you so long you mor…"

He cut his phrase when he saw a three girls hopping from a hatch one by one.

-"What the??"

-"Good day" –said Fuu and curtseyed

-"Hi there. Wouldn't you mind if we look around here a little?" –Umi said shaking down a dust from sleeve of her robe

-"Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?!" –snorted man in glasses and aimed at them some kind of crossbow. The short man in the hat drawn his two daggers and a long-haired guy aimed at them his long-bow

-"Oh we were just passing by. Ever heard of magic knights? At your service" –said Hikaru and bowed with a simile

All three men were paralyzed by fear. Everybody, including woman with two children, were staring on girls like they just saw ghosts. After a while they aimed their weapons at their faces and a man with long hair yelled with fear

-"Move a muscle and you are dead!"

Umi only sighed and said

-"I don't think so" –she aimed her hand at them –"_Water dragon!_"

A stream of water swirled around Umi and dashed in shape of dragon in direction of surprised bandits. They shot arrows on Umi only to see them swallowed by the water. They all got thrown hardly into the wall by powerful stream of water. The crossbow of man with moustache broke into pieces.

-"_Binding wind!_" –shouted Fuu

Before any of rogues stood up, they got bound by strings of green wind. No matter how hard they were flinging, spell didn't loosen its hold even slightly.

-"Ok guys come in!" –Umi shouted through the hatch

A group of guards and Presea entered the cellar. Presea frowned at rogues still bound by Fuu's spell

-"Get those scoundrels out of here" –she said and guards quickly led stunned bandits out of the cellar

Hikaru quickly ran up to woman and children in corner of the room and untied them. They stared at the red-haired girl with astonishment and couldn't say a word.

-"Imora!"

-"Goraf?!"

Goraf, who just stepped inside the cellar, ran up to his children and wife to hug them tightly. Whole family greeted themselves happily as they were now free of armed criminals who were threatening them everyday. Children couldn't resist of crying in arms of their father. After a longer while, Goraf faced three magic knights who were observing whole scene from a side and said

-"Thank you magic knights… I will never forget what you done for me"

***

-"These are really bad news… Rogues in the habitation halls mean nothing but trouble. It looks like these bastards have found a way to earn on scared people…" –said Presea when they were leaving habitation halls

-"Why are guards allowing this? They should check anybody who enters this place" –said Umi

-"Guards at the entrance are only checking if the visitor is an intruder. They won't detect if someone is a rogue"

They were walking a while further and they stopped on corridor crossroad

-"Okay, so that would be everything girls. I'll be at forgery if you need me. I will have to ask guru for some unfreezers for those morons…" –she grunted –"…anyway, now you won't get lost right?"

-"We won't. Thanks Presea" –said Hikaru

-"Well, I suggest you go visit Clef. He should start your training soon. You two should go too. If you ask nicely he will surely teach you some new tricks with magic. See you girls" –Presea said and went away

Girls went in another way, to the Clef's chamber. After a few minutes of walking Fuu suddenly stopped.

-"What is it Fuu?" –asked Umi

-"I… I don't know…" –she answered almost whispering

-"Are you ok?" –said Hikaru

-"Oh… Yes I'm okay. Stop being so overprotective. I feel better than you do" –she answered coldly

Hikaru and Umi looked at each other. They have stared at Fuu for a while in puzzled way and almost jumped when saw a violet light coming out of her pocket.

-"What is this?" –asked Umi with voice full of fright

-"This? What's it to you? Not your business" –Fuu replied

-"Oh yeah? What made you so naughty huh? Usually you're so polite that you could get hit in face and you wouldn't give back" –said Hikaru

Umi observed with paralyzing fear that now also Hikaru's medallion began to glow purple.

-"So what? You will burst into tears because I'm not polite for you one time, ruby flame?" –Fuu smiled at her

-"Don't push it" –hissed Hikaru

-"Or what? You will cry to death?"

-"Stop it! Please…" –groaned Umi

-"SHUT UP!!!" –Both Hikaru and Fuu thrown Umi against the wall with invisible force. She crashed onto wall and fell on the floor.

-"I will give you a chance to apologize me because it's not quite the thing to beat someone with glasses"

-"Oh, you're afraid of me or something? Guru was right – you're so childish. Call Lantis if you fear me…"

-"Shut your jaw four-eye!!!" –screamed Hikaru

Both girls stared at themselves with fury for a moment, observed from side by lightly-stunned Umi. The purple light coming from Hikaru's medallion and something in Fuu's pocket was blinding. Then, without any warning they both aimed at themselves and shouted simultaneously

-"_Black lightning!_"

-"_Havoc whirlwind!_"

-"Noo!" –screamed Umi

Hikaru shot a black zigzag from her both hands. Fuu swirled around her axis to release a transparent black tornado. When both spells impacted, they've exploded with unbelievable force and thrown all girls about the hallway. Rain of rubble fell on the hallway from ceiling and walls. A deafening roar and vibrations could be felt in a whole castle.

After a while, although stupefied and beaten-up a little, all three girls scrambled out of the rubble. Their vision was shortened by dust present everywhere in the air

-"Everybody okay?!" –Hikaru shouted through the dust

-"I… I think so! Fuu where are you?!" –replied Umi

-"Um… I'm… over here!" –Fuu yelled

When whole dust fell on the floor, it revealed terrible mess in the hall and a group of running people.

Clef, Presea, Ferio and brigade of guards stormed into the hallway, all armed to the teeth. Clef bearing his staff charged with blue energy, Presea with lava hammer, Ferio with his long-sword and guards, as usual, with storm halberds. Although some of them were bearing hurricane bows this time.

Whole companion stopped in place when they saw chaos in the hallway and all three magic knights inside of it.

-"Let me guess… You got a little chit-chatting with Hikaru's dark side?" –Ferio said turning to Hikaru

-"This time… not only with her" –said Umi

Everybody lifted their brows and looked at Umi in question. Everybody except Clef, who lowered his staff and said

-"Just what I've been afraid off"

***

-"So you say… that this entire thing that happened with Hikaru… is now happening to Fuu?" –Ferio said slowly to make sure he heard Clef's words well.

Everybody were sitting in meeting chamber to determine what happened before few minutes. Except Clef, Presea, Ferio and magic knights, there were also Ascot, Lantis, Caldina and Lafarga.

-"But why? According to what you said, only Hikaru should have dark side" –said Presea

Clef only sighed and looked down

-"I didn't tell you the whole truth. Don't be mad on me. It wouldn't make any difference and only make you worried. So… Hikaru is not only one who has the dark side. Honestly… I don't have a clue why did it happen. As I said, only her energy merged with remains of Debonaire's magic. Anyway, something made Fuu and Umi also take part of this energy through Hikaru and have their souls divided too"

-"Wait… Oh no… I will be also like this?!" –yelled Umi in fear

-"No. You are already like that"

Umi hid her face in her hands

-"This isn't happening…" –she whispered

-"Fuu-chan what do you have in your pocket?"

Fuu dragged her eyes away from the floor and looked at Hikaru

-"My communicator. Why do you ask Hikaru-san?"

-"Because it was acting exactly like my medallion"

Everybody looked at her in puzzled way

-"It did?" –asked Clef

-"Yes. It was all glowing purple. Just like my medallion"

Clef stared at her in question for a while. Finally he said

-"I don't know. It shouldn't… Fuu can you give it to me?"

Fuu gave Clef her communicator. He took it in his both hands and observed it carefully from each side. After a while he put white egg-shaped item on the table and said

-"Honestly I don't have a clue why it did act like that. Hikaru I thought that your medallion reflects your feelings only because it's the pillar's emblem. This communication stone is surely nothing of an emblem, but I can feel some deep connection between it and Fuu. But why did it become like this…"

A drilling silence that arose for a few minutes made Clef's words even more ominous. If he said that something is wrong, then something sure IS wrong. It he didn't know something, this could only mean one thing. Trouble

-"So… when you'll begin to teach us that… black magic?" –finally asked Umi

-"We can start immediately. I've managed to prepare a training hall for this kind of lessons" –Clef replied

-"So what are we waiting for?" –said Hikaru and stood up

***

When everybody left in all directions after leaving meeting hall, Clef became alone on the hallway with three magic knights curious of what kind of lessons awaits them in the training hall.

Immediately when they started walking, Umi, after taking three steps stopped and drilled her vision in the floor. Clef, Hikaru and Fuu looked at her, afraid that now her dark side may have just triggered on. But she only looked at Clef shyly and said

-"Uh… Clef? Could we speak in private?"

Hikaru and Fuu looked at her in question but Clef only said

-"That's ok. Hikaru, Fuu, wait for us here… or better go to the training hall if you know the way…" –he said and went back with Umi to now empty meeting hall.

***

-"What is it?" –Clef asked immediately after doors closed

Umi looked at the floor as she had no idea how to tell him what she wanted. She blushed and said stammering.

-"Um… I… Uh… I mean… err… So…"

Clef observed her in question as her face was turning redder with every second. Also her speak was turning more incomprehensible with every word. Suddenly she went silent and to his surprise she looked at him with eyes full of tears. Without any warning she fell in his arms and exploded with cry.

-"Umi what…?!"

-"I just can't hold it anymore! I love you!" –and she released a river of tears into his robe. She hugged him so tightly that he found it hard to breathe.

So his worst anxieties have been realized. His worst anxieties, but he couldn't deny that on the other hand – his greatest dreams. He let her cry for a minute or two and after she calmed down a little, he said slowly

-"Umi… I got 749 years…"

-"I don't care. You hear me? I don't care how old are you"

-"Oh Umi! Don't you realize that I'm only looking like that? I'm many generations before you!"

-"Fine. That's no hindrance for me. You won't die of old age in here"

-"But appearance is not everything! Can't you understand…"

-"I understand!!!" –she yelled as loud as she could. She stood face to face with him looking at him with anger, forgetting that she is talking with most powerful mage in Cephiro –"I understand… And I say it once more, I-don't-care. Have yourself even thousand years and you will be still the one who I love"

Clef only sighed and said calmly

-"Umi, this is normal that in such situation you need someone to console you… but I'm not the right person. You wouldn't be happy with me. This would be a bad couple"

-"I don't want anybody else. If I'm gonna be happy with anybody, then only with you. Please don't do this to me... This was already too much…" –she clinged again to his shoulder

This was complete check-mate. What should he do? Deny? Break her heart? Further excusing had no slightest sense. It would only infuriate her even more. Suggesting Ascot would be both foolishness and tactlessness. But why to refuse? Is it so bad idea? What bad can happen? Maybe she's right. And even if she's not, they could just try.

-"Alright… if this is really what you want…" –he said after some time, only to feel a warm kiss and even stronger hug. So he couldn't do anything but embrace her.

-"Thank you…" –whispered Umi and thought that it is unquestionably the most wonderful moment in her whole life.

-"Umi…" –he said after a longer while –"…I would like to give you something"

She looked up on him in question. Clef took his ring off and put on her finger.

-"But… but…"

-"Please accept this. It's a gift"

She tried to protest. This was the ring witch was opening the chamber where emeraude's crown was resting in the time when there were no pillar. She wasn't sure if it's good idea to accept such a powerful gift, but after all refusing was even worse idea.

-"Nice…" –said Umi looking at ring on her finger

-"Would you promise me something? Please don't tell anyone that we are together"

-"I won't. I promise" –she answered laying her head on his shoulder

Suddenly, without any warning, doors opened wide and Caldina burst inside breathing hard.

-"Hey did you saw my… oops…" –she cut her phrase when she saw blue haired magic knight in Clef's arms. She looked at them both like she was struck by lightning. After a while she said slowly

-"I… I think I came in a wrong moment…" –and she slowly left the chamber

-"That's just great…" –Clef groaned hopelessly

-"Guess my promise have just gone to devils" –ended Umi

***

-"What are they doing so long in there?" –said Hikaru as she was waiting with Fuu at the doors of training hall

-"It looks like it was something really important" –replied Fuu

Suddenly Caldina came from a hallway. She was giggling on the whole corridor

-"Hey Caldina did you saw if Clef and Umi are going here?" -asked Hikaru ignoring Caldina's laugh

Caldina stopped and looked at them, trying to stop laugh with all force.

-"Oh… well, they are little… busy" –she said and went further exploding with laugh on the way and ignoring Hikaru's and Fuu's questioned looks

-"Busy?" –repeated Hikaru

After a while Clef and Umi came from the same way Caldina did. Umi's face was whole red but guru didn't seem to show any emotions.

-"Let's go. We have a lot of work to do" –said Clef

Doors have opened wide and Clef, Hikaru and Fuu stepped inside the training hall but Umi was standing in one place. Everybody turned around and looked at her in a puzzled way.

-"Umi? What are you waiting for?" –asked Hikaru

-"I… I thought that… we didn't finish our little chit-chatting that we started in the forest" –said Umi silently

Hikaru, Clef and Fuu looked at her in question. Before anyone of them managed to say something, Hikaru was grabbed by some invisible force and thrown in the air to stop above the ground right in front of Umi. She felt like heart coming up to her throat when she saw a violet-glowing ring on her finger.

-"What…"

-"Shall we talk a little about threatening me by putting a sword on my throat and insulting my family?"

-"Oh… I'm sorry… but…"

-"Sorry? That's all you have to say? Do you think that 'sorry' will sort out all things?"

-"No… please…"

-"Now you're not so tough huh? Coward" –Umi aimed her hand at Hikaru and lowered her voice –"I can forgive throwing me at the wall. I can even forgive threatening me. But I will never forgive insulting my family"

-"Umi-chan… no…"

-"You know what? I'm curious what it feels like to have lungs filled with water. Maybe you wanna see?"

Hikaru observed with fear as black water began to swirl around Umi's hand

-"Umi stop"

Umi turned her face at Clef

-"Hey. Wouldn't you like to see me giving her a lesson?"

-"You've scared her enough already. Don't waste energy on her"

Umi lifted her brows. Water was still dancing around her hand as she was looking at Clef. Purple glow of her ring got a little weaker.

-"It would be fun… but if you say so…" –Umi said and Hikaru fell on the floor as she released magic bind that was holding her in the air.

When the glow of her ring faded completely she winked a few times and looked around

-"Wh… what happened?" –she asked looking first on frightened Fuu, then on Hikaru lying at the floor and finally on guru. She opened her eyes wide with fear –"Oh no… don't tell me I've just…" –the rest of phrase couldn't get through her throat.

She coudln't resist and fell in Clef's arms to the surprise of Fuu and Hikaru. Guru only embraced Umi with one hand and said

-"Let's go. The sooner you'll learn to control yourself the better"

**NOTES:**** Woah. That was a long one, wasn't it? Got bored of talkie-talkie? Don't worry. Some action is going to show up soon. Those Autosam ships surely**** aren't**** just for a show ;) Don't forget to review if you like it (or if you don't). Sya until next chapter.**


	6. 6 Spark of hope

**NOTES: I had to make a little break ****from writing, but I finally finished that sixth chapter. Have a nice reading.**

Chapter 6 – Spark of hope

Fours days have passed slowly as Cephiro and Geo's fleet couldn't do anything but gather their strength and wait for enemy to make a move. Majority of that strength was of course the magic knights. Clef almost wasn't giving them a break from trainings witch generally meant to teach them to control themselves and raise their power. Apart from teaching black magic, he was also working on honing their own magic skills. Using any available means, ranging from simple instructions to literal injection of knowledge into their minds, he helped them to develop stronger spells and even some special abilities.

Those trainings have made much of changes in them. Fuu was even more polite (if that is possible) and silent. Umi was more self-confident and just couldn't wait to use her new power gained on those trainings. Hikaru was more merry than usual. She even managed to not think about her nightmares that were haunting her every night.

When girls were not training, they were spending most of their free time with their boyfriends. Unfortunately, the last pair – Umi and Clef, have found it hardest to express love to each other. Of course the whole palace knew about relationships between the master mage and the magic knight of water. If Caldina wouldn't tell anybody about such fact, it could mean only that she died of laughing. Fortunately she didn't so now even habitation halls were boiling with these news.

But it doesn't mean they didn't meet with each other. Every moment they could be alone, they spent with themselves. Curiously enough, Clef wasn't reminding of old in any way in those moments spent with Umi. He was behaving more like his look suggested. Although still very serious most of the time, he also proved to have good sense of humour witch made Umi glad.

Nobody knew that Clef wasn't loved only by Umi. Presea have already accepted painful truth that she will never be with him. She couldn't do anything, but wish him and Umi good luck. She wasn't angry at Umi, although it didn't hinder terrible wrangle one day to explode between them two out of nothing (it had nothing about Clef). Ascot was dealing with this situation much better. He simply took a politic 'If I can't be with her, I will at least be her best friend'. And he was succesful in this.

When girls were their darker variants, whole situation was completely another story. Trainings made them able to control themselves but Clef was right when he was saying that they will never be able to have full control. They were no longer attacking, or threatening anybody but all their friends were feeling uneasily in their presence.

Practically, their darker sides were their complete opposites. Sometimes they were rude for everybody (even Fuu). They became ruthless. Mokona, instead of making pranks, was avoiding Umi with wide arc when her dark side was active. After Umi almost tortured her to death with black magic when she caught her, Mokona was more careful.

Most curious thing in this was that they were improved not only in magic way, but also physical. They were all getting unbelievable strength and reflex while under influence of their dark alter egos (witch would explain why Hikaru managed to knock Umi's sword out of her hand when she turned dark for first time).

Now, girls' dark sides were not so fierce but they were active for longer time. Sometimes there was long time they were normal. Sometimes there was whole day of their active alter egos. They all three decided that they will try to avoid anybody (even their boyfriends) in such situation. They were able to control themselves, however it was not easy and their dark sides were always little unpredictable.

Hikaru was still tortured by her nightmares. She wasn't thinking about them during the day, but they were returning every night. Every night she saw herself killing every person she knew. After Umi, Fuu and Presea it came for Ascot, Caldina, Ferio and Lafarga. In every case she was murdering them without slightest signs of mercy.

But most curious in her dreams was that in the end she always saw a small red haired girl. As well as she could remember, she named her Kajiru in one of her dreams. Of course she had no idea who that girl could be, or what role she has in those nightmares. She was afraid to tell anybody about them, even to guru or Lantis. Although she knew that it cannot be left as it is. What will happen when she will kill last of her friends in those dreams?

***

Fuu woke up immediately after she heard doors opening wide and Caldina shouting

-"Hey! It's time to get up! How's our princess doing today?"

Fuu only sat and picked her glasses from a nightstand. She yawned and looked at the window. It was raining outside and dark sky suggested it was very early.

-"Good morning, um… why are you waking me up so early?" –Fuu replied

-"We have plenty much to do. It's celebration today!" –Caldina said with excitement

-"Oh… right…" –Fuu said. She completely forgot about the celebration.

-"So get up. We gotta prepare you all three for the evening. You don't want to ashame Ferio do you?"

-"Err… why?"

-"You are the princess and you have to LOOK like princess. Especially while dancing with the prince"

-"Dancing?!"

-"Of course. Do you think that celebration is only eating? It's gonna be the great party! I asked guru to give you break from trainings today so you all three will have time to prepare yourselves. But first let's go on the breakfast. Your two friends are already up" –Caldina said with a grin

***

-"Did Geo-san or Clef-san decide something about war?" –Fuu asked as she was walking down the hallway with Caldina

-"I don't have a clue. All guys are talking in sealed meeting chamber every day after breakfast. I wonder why are those bastards not attacking… They are surely up to something –Caldina replied thoughtfully

-"Maybe they are waiting for our move?"

-"I don't think so. They have so great force that they don't have to wait for our mistake. But they don't. Something is really… WOAH!!"

Caldina and Fuu almost fell on the floor from a surprise when a red ball of energy appeared with flash right in front of them. The ball began to form in familiar shape. After few moments, Hikaru was standing with a grin before shocked Fuu and Caldina.

-"Hi there! How are you today?"

-"I told you not to teleport in front of me!!! You want to give me a heart attack?!" –Caldina screamed

-"Uh… sorry…" –Hikaru said embarrassed

-"Have you ever heard of 'walking'? Just that you can teleport does not mean you have to jump over the whole palace!"

-"S… sorry. Just wanted to see if you are coming"

-"It's alright Hikaru-san. But don't scare us like this in future okay?" –Fuu said

Hikaru, content that her apologies were accepted at least by Fuu, returned to her grin and said happily

-"Okay! So I will be waiting with others in the meeting hall"

She then linked her hands, glowed red and returned back to shape of red ball witch shrank and disappeared.

-"Hmph… She could already quit showing off before everybody" –Caldina snarled

-"Don't be mad at her Caldina-san. Hikaru simply loves to use her new ability"

-"I only hope she won't be so childlike when fighting bad-guys…"

***

As usual after breakfast, everybody gone to mind their own business. Presea, Ascot and Zazu left the chamber first. Mokona gone too, as today was again Primera's turn to get annoyed by her. Geo, Lantis, Lafarga and Ferio stayed in the chamber to discuss situation of war. So Caldina was now before doors of the chamber together with magic knights.

-"Alright! Let's go. We have much work to do before evening. You will see! I'm gonna prepare you so good that your loves will blow their eyes of staring at you! I know what I'm saying… err… why did you turn pale? Are you alright?"

-"Oh… that's nothing…–Umi said

As they were walking by one of hundred corridors in the castle, girls let Caldina wander forward a bit, so she wasn't able to hear their whispers.

-"Hikaru are you able to teleport somebody with you?" –Umi asked

-"Umi-san that would be very rude to escape" –Fuu broke in

-"So you want to get tortured and embarrassed by that mad stylist?"

-"How do you know what she will prepare for us? Maybe it won't be that bad?"

-"Yeah… I just can't wait to make Clef blow his…"

-"Hey! Why are you going so slowly? Get moving!" –Caldina yelled

-"Um… Caldina do we have to go on that celebration?" –Hikaru asked shyly

-"What?! Don't piss me off. How are people going to celebrate return of magic knights without magic knights? Don't make me hypnotize you" –Caldina said with malicious smile

-"Don't even think about that. You nearly killed us last time you did that" –Umi said with annoyance

-"Old ages…" –Caldina replied

***

It was already evening. And it was still raining outside. With every hour it seemed that it was raining with greater force, approaching level of storm.

-"So you say they are all concentrated around one base?" –Clef asked as he was walking Geo back to main doors where shuttle was waiting to take him to his dreadnought NSX

-"Yep. Take a look" –he said and turned on a holographic map on a watch-like device on his wrist. Clef stared at one blinking point on the map surrounded by hundreds of red dots

-"Strange… this place seems familiar…" –Clef said thoughtfully

-"Geo!"

Clef and Geo have looked on Zazu running from ahead. He stopped in front of them breathing hard

-"What is it Zazu?" –Geo asked

-"Someone's hacked into NSX security network!"

Geo and Clef felt like blood freezing in their veins

-"And what?! What did they done?! Did they damage something?" –Geo asked nervously

-"No all systems are intact. Those guys didn't manage to get past our inner defenses. But they did far worse than that!"

-"Then what?!" –Clef pushed him

Zazu dropped his head down like he was about to say that someone have just died

-"They broke into data bank and stole file 'RSW-df001'" –he said with grave voice

Geo turned pale, but Clef only looked at them both in puzzled way

-"They stole what?"

-"This was file containing all data about magic knights' machines…" –Geo said almost whispering

Now Clef also turned pale. Silence arose between three men as none of them were able to say a word during a long moment that seemed to be an eternity. The only noise that could be heard was the rain outside the window of the corridor.

-"You were gathering data about machines?" –Clef broke the silence

-"No. This was old surveillance data made by Eagle when he scanned them" –Geo replied

-"And you didn't get rid of it?" –Clef thundered

-"No. All data gathered by Eagle is still out there on NSX. Now I regret I didn't secure it…"

-"You should destroy that data immediately! Now we can't let magic knights fight"

-"Are you crazy? If Moondart will strike we won't hold for long without them!"

-"If we let them fight they will go straight into Moondart's trap. He will surely make use of this information gathered in this… file. He obviously needed that data not without a reason"

-"He's right Geo. Those guys surely knew what they were looking for. They didn't touch anything except that file" –Zazu broke in

Geo sighed and frowned at guru

-"Clef… We need their help. Without them we are finished. I cannot use laguna cannon. If I did, Moondart would use his own in retaliation, conflict would escalate and whole Cephiro would be annihilated. Your barrier is not strong enough to protect palace from continuous fire from laguna cannon"

-"I will do what I can. That's all we have left. As I said – we can't let magic knights fight. At least for some time"

-"Hey Clef!"

Everybody looked at Caldina running from a corridor behind.

-"What is it?" –Clef asked

-"What are you doing here yet? The celebration is starting in an hour!" –Caldina said frowning at him

-"Oh Caldina leave me alone. I don't have time for this"

-"You don't have time for Umi?"

He sweat-dropped

-"W… what do you mean?"

-"She will be dancing at the celebration. And who do you think she should dance with?"

-"But…"

-"No discussion. Master mage or not, you should treat your girl nicely"

-"Ok ok, calm down"

Normally Clef would wig up Caldina for no respect, as she obviously forgot she is speaking to guru, but this time he made exception.

-"Then I want you, Lantis and Ferio in meeting hall. IMMEDIATELY" –Caldina said almost shouting in Clef's face who now with all force tried to maintain no-emotion look.

As Caldina already turned around and quickly walked back to the meeting hall. Clef turned to Geo, but he only said

-"I think we will get to shuttle on our own"

-"Alright. Then delete that data on your ship as soon as you can. We will have to discuss this new problem tomorrow. Goodbye" –Clef said

-"Goodbye" –Geo replied and Clef gone in way Caldina did a moment ago

As soon as guru disappeared in the corridor Geo said

-"Did they touch project files?"

-"Of course they didn't! The project is on external drives, not connected to main framework, remember?" –Zazu said like he was stating something obvious

-"I wanted to make sure… We have to secure ALL project data, including what they stole. I hope those scums don't know about the project"

-"If they don't know then why did they stole data about magic knights' machines?"

-"Maybe Clef is right… Maybe they are preparing a trap. Or trying to find their weaknesses. We have to speed up the research process. If Clef won't let them fight, that's our only chance"

***

A man in white suit was sitting before terminal of huge computer inside of lab section of a starship. He was putting series of commands nervously into the computer. Nervously – because there was a big, bald man in combat armor standing next to him and observing the monitor. This man was nobody but General Ray Moondart.

-"Have you finished?" –he said after a few moments

-"Um… yes general. Analyzer have processed this data and… I think we have what we needed. There's a whole lot of data about magic knights' vehicles… but there's not even a single word about magic knights themselves. Age, gender, names – completely nothing"

-"Then show me what you dug up on"

The technician typed a command into the computer and monitor showed a picture of a blue golem with a tail and wings, in some aspects reminding of a dragon.

-"This one is fastest and most maneuverable of them three. Information in that data file refers to it as "Selece". Analyzer determined it is basing its attacks on water, although in that file there were also some reports about ice attacks executed by that machine"

-"Any suggestions?" –general asked

-"Well… As I said – this one is extremely maneuverable and fast, so torpedoes and bombs would be ineffective. However metric analysis indicates that this machine has weakest resistance of them all. If we aim lasers at most vulnerable points, we could stun or slow it down. Then, cruise missiles would finish the job"

-"Right. Are you sure that it won't hurt the pilots?"

-"I don't think so general. Their inner armor is too strong" –technician typed another string of commands on the keyboard and then, another golem appeared at the screen of computer. This time green one with white, feathered wings.

-"This machine seems to have more tactical purpose than others. According to gathered data it bears codename "Windam". It is concentrating mainly on defense and disarming hostile targets. All its abilities are based on wind. It is able to create a defensive force field, shoot something similar to tractor ropes to bind enemies, or even regenerate itself and other machines"

-"Any ideas how to knock it down?"

-"With this one, it won't be so easy. The shield created by it is almost completely impenetrable and wind attacks can easily blow torpedoes and missiles of their target. However it has one weakness. Every shot repelled by shield is draining energy from the machine. So we have to suppress shield with fire to exhaust it, and then quickly take down golem itself. I think that fast punch with a single cruise missile in critical point should neutralize it"

-"Excelent. How about the last one?"

The screen was now showing red golem with shield in place of right arm and fire burning somewhere on its back.

-"Now this will be a real problem. This machine is called "Rayearth". According to those files, this one is piloted by their leader. This one is the most powerful of whole three. It is using fire and electricity attacks and has strongest resistance. It's gonna be a tough fight general…"

-"I will judge that personally. Now, how to beat that one?"

-"Hmm… Looking at this data I think that only way is to concentrate all available firepower on this golem. It is not as fast as the blue one so it should have a hard time with homing missiles and bombs. However there's another way…"

-"Another way?"

-"Yes. There's a notification witch reads that Eagle Vision have managed to stun one of them with EMP beam. However I think that we should weaken them a little before using it. I also found out that pilot is situated here, in that crystal core on chest of each golem. This gives us emergency exit if situation gets out of control. Analyzer indicates that if we pierced a nerve gas missile into that core, it would kill the pilot. Or if we hit that core with anti-ship torpedo, the core would destabilize and explode"

-"Good. But remember – I want them ALIVE. Don't kill them unless I say so. I also want their crafts intact. Is that everything?"

-"I think so general" –technician replied setting off the screen of computer

-"So I see you have just studied secrets of magic knights' greatest weapon!"

Moondart turned around to look at Myosomus in surprise. General already got used to mage's weird tend to show up suddenly in least expected moment, but how did he know what was he doing?

-"Indeed… so what do you want mage?"

-"Only to fulfill my promise" –Myosomus replied mysteriously

General looked at him in puzzled way

-"What do you mean?"

-"Do you remember what was my promise general?"

-"Yea. You said you will tell me…"

-"…When it's time to strike. And this time is coming… Yesss. it will come tonight"

General smiled

-"Ahh… Yes. So you say to strike this night?"

-"Yess. At night, who is friend of rogues, thieves… and invaders" –Myosomus said slowly

-"Good. Ecilo I want you to save that analized data, add notes and send them to all fleet captains on secured link. I want Omicron and Sigma teams to be ready immediately. Remember, I want them alive. Do not use nerve gas missiles unless I say so" –Moondart said and pushed a button on a device on his wrist similar to a watch.

-"Yoltz. Prepare HTO" -general said

-"Yes sir" –came voice from a device

***

Ferio, Lantis and Clef were standing next to main entrance to habitation halls. More irritated with every second. It seems that Caldina sent them here FAR too early.

As ordered by her, they were wearing official suits… or let's say at least more official than normal. Ferio was in his plate armor with golden decorations. Looks like apart from combat, it had also more official purpose. Lantis – as usual in his black armor with shoulder straps and cape. Clef was just wearing his robe, but this time it seemed to have color of darker blue. He also left his staff somewhere.

The sun-ball in habitation halls was darkened out so now they couldn't see ceiling in the darkness above them. The village nearby was lightened up with lamps in beautiful colors.

-"Where the hell are they?" –Ferio said annoyed while river of people was flooding from the entrance. Mostly soldiers, because most of civilians were gathered already in the habitation halls.

-"Guess Caldina still tortures them… So you say that, thanks to Geo, we can't let them get out of the palace?" –Lantis said turning to Clef

-"What an idiot… What for did he store that information about them?" –Ferio said even more annoyed

-"About their machines" –Clef rectified –"I don't have a clue. He said that was old surveillance data he forgot to remove"

-"Just great… More trouble was just what we needed" –Ferio ended

-"There's no need to cry over spilt milk. Now we need to think how to deal with it"

-"I can see only two ways. One – let them fight and watch them massacred by what Moondart prepared for them, two – keep them here and let him kill us all. And kill them in the end"

-"He may be right Clef. Situation is serious"

-"Bloody hell…" –Ferio made a deafened shout

-"Well… maybe that's not most civilized phrase, but surely describes importance of situation" –stated Clef

-"N…No… I mean… look!" –Ferio pointed on something

Lantis and Clef looked in the way he was pointing and were completely stunned. What… or better who they saw was three beautiful girls led by Caldina. They were dressed in long gowns crawling with decorations. Their white breast armors with gems were only giving them even more amazing look. Their robes, witch Presea gave them first day were looking miserably if compared to what they had now on themselves.

This was one of extremely rare situations when anyone could see Hikaru without her ponytail. Beauty of her long hair was almost equaling Umi's hair. Umi, for a change had her hair tied up in a bun from witch two long stripes of shining silk-like hair were coming. Fuu's hair seemed to be a little longer and were made into waves. All girls stopped and blushed slightly when they saw three astonished men staring at them by the entrance.

-"Um… good evening" –Fuu said and bowed before Ferio. Umi off-handedly kissed Clef, and Hikaru hugged Lantis.

-"Now how do you think? Was it worth waiting? Hah! And that's all my work" –Caldina said lifting her head with pride

-"When does celebration begin?" –Umi asked

-"In about a moment. I heard it will be opened with a speech of some guy from a city council…" –Caldina explained

-"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go, we can't be late" –Hikaru stated with enthusiasm

-"Oh well… I have to… check something in a village… Don't wait for me okay? See ya" –Caldina said and disappeared in the crowd

-"After she dragged us all the way in here… she 'has to check something in a village'?" –Umi grumbled with annoyance

***

Avoiding attention of a crowd (successful like they were carrying flowerpots on their heads) the group has finally made it to a huge plaza in center of a village, and took a place under the awning at wall of some building. On sides of a plaza there were lots of long tables sagging under food. A colorful lamps present almost everywhere were making nice atmosphere. Crowd was making a lot of commotion, as people were gathering from whole town.

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu were both surprised and annoyed by reaction of EVERY person that was passing by and noticing them. First, look of amazement and then a wide bow almost touching the ground with a nose (some people were even falling on the ground like they've just seen an angel). What made them curious, was the fact that they seemed to ignore Lantis, Clef and even Ferio who was the prince after all.

-"What's wrong with those people? They're afraid of us or something?" –Umi finally asked after a woman who almost fell to their feet have finally passed away

-"No, they just think that if they won't praise you, you will send a disease or curse them" –Lantis answered with sleepy voice

-"What?!" –all three girls gasped

-"People were already aware of your power because one of your three is a pillar, but when Hikaru destroyed the plague and after your black magic spells shaking whole palace, it made them think that you are all omnipotent. They simply think you are the goddesses" –Clef explained

-"This is nonsense" –Hikaru said

-"Maybe… but people were always like this. Show them some tricks and they will think you are a wizard. Remove their greatest problem, like disease decimating them, and they will praise you to the heavens" –Ferio said

-"Hey! Here you are!"

Everybody turned around to look at Presea and Ascot breaking through the crowd toward them. Presea was dressed in long orange skirt with wide sleeves and Ascot was wearing white robe with golden patterns.

-"Hi there! Have you come for the celebration?" –Hikaru asked

-"Of course… Hey! You look awesome!" –Ascot exclaimed

-"Caldina's work" –Umi replied

-"Then never ever try to say she doesn't have style" –Presea said

-"Did you see her? She disappeared after she led us here" –Lantis said

-"Ahh… She's with Lafarga. I bet they are robbing people by playing cards in one of inns" –Presea laughed

-"That's Caldina" –Ferio ended

A commotion have raised after a while when a thin, tall man with a grey hair have stepped up on some kind of stage in front of a crowd. He raised his hands to silence people who were still making a lot of noise.

-"Head councilor" –Presea whispered to girls

When the noise has gone down the man have spoken with voice unnaturally loud, like he was holding a megaphone.

-"Greetings people of Cephiro! We all know why we have gathered here. Tonight we can take a rest from fear piercing us all because of dreadful invaders. Our divine protectors have returned. Together with pillar and princess of Cephiro. No celebrations will give the essence of what magic knights done to us. But let us at least give them what we can. Let us cast away our fear. Let us give them our hope. Let us give them all power, might and carriage Cephiro can give! When magic knights have whole Cephiro on their side, no steel sky-ships, not even greatest of armies, no invaders, can step on their way! Glory invincible magic knights!"

After his words the crowd have began to cheer. All girls have felt weird of all this praising them. When people quieted down a little, the man continued

-"What can I say more? Even the most glowing of words are empty if not supported with action. So I can only say, let the party begin!"

These words were also greeted with storm of cheers. Above heads of people, Hikaru could see orchestra coming into the stage armed with instruments similar to those from earth.

Orchestra began to play quick music and people immediately began dancing. Some sat to the tables to eat and talk in companion of friends. A nice atmosphere of fun arose in the whole village.

Umi took Clef's hand and without a word dragged him to a dance floor. Ferio turned to Fuu's and kissed hand.

-"Shall we dance?"

Fuu only brightened up and nodded. Then they both went to a dance floor.

-"Let's go bite on something" –Presea said and went to a closest table followed by Ascot. Now there were only Lantis and Hikaru standing under the wall. He turned to her and said

-"Would you mind to…"

-"Of course! Let's dance!" –Hikaru exclaimed and dragged him to a dance floor

After a while of dancing among the crowd, all three girls felt strange. Like a wave of energy flowing through their whole bodies. The feeling was getting stronger with every second. Slowly they all three began to glow with bright white aura; however their partners didn't seem to be surprised.

-"What's happening?!" –Umi tried to outshout the noise around them

-"Did you think that 'giving power of Cephiro' is an empty word?!" –Ferio shouted as all three pairs were now enough close to each other to hear themselves through the noise.

Now girls have realized what is happening. This was exactly what happened during their final battle with Debonair. Magic knights were able to beat the dark lady when people of Cephiro believed in them. Now power was flowing to each girl with such force that they become afraid that they will explode. Hikaru felt so powerful that she was almost sure that one of her spells could now annihilate whole Moondart's fleet with a single blast. More! She could destroy whole Cephiro, no… Both Cephiro and Earth! Nothing seemed impossible now.

So then girls have done only thing that seemed to have sense – throw themselves into dancing and letting energy flow.

"Yes… Moondart doesn't have a chance against power of whole Cephiro" – Hikaru thought

***

-"She is dangerous Lantis. She is no longer controlling herself" –Clef said

-"Then what?! You want to kill her?! I will not let that happen!" –Lantis exclaimed

-"Oh Lantis she will kill us all if we won't do something!"

-"I want to die rather to watch her dying"

-"The stake is not only our lives. It is lives on hundreds of thousands lives of Cephiro people! Hikaru has power of pillar. Imagine what will happen if she will use it…"

-"The hell with that world! It is no longer land of dreams. Especially if we are murdering to solve a problem"

-"Lantis don't…"

Clef's words were interrupted by a deafening explosion that broken doors to pieces. Both men turned pale when they saw who was standing in doors.

-"Hikaru no…"

-"_Black thunder_"

Clef couldn't do anything but try to block black-violet ribbon with his staff before deadly spell exploded literally turning him to vapors and blasting against a wall Lantis who managed to jump away in a last moment.

He tried to get up, but he was blocked by a tip of a sword on his throat. He looked at red haired girl pointing her sword at him with a little, almost unnoticeable smile.

-"Please…" –Lantis only managed to say one word. His lungs ached, hit by a strike wave of a powerful spell. A trail of blood began to run from his nose.

Although it was only time when Hikaru heard Lantis begging, it didn't affect her. She lifted sword up, to moment later let it down on defenseless man on the floor.

-"Nooo!!"

A clang of steel hitting steel sounded in the whole chamber. Hikaru looked at little girl who deflected her sword with her own, saving Lantis' live.

-"Please don't do this! Don't hurt daddy!" –little girl begged with tears

-"Kajiru no…" –Lantis said breathing heavily, still unable to get up

Hikaru kept staring on Kajiru, still crossing sword with her.

-"Mummy please! Don't do this!"

After a longer while Hikaru finally lowered her sword and took a step back. Kajiru dropped her sword and fell on the floor to hug her father.

Hikaru aimed her hand at Lantis and Kajiru and said silently

-"_Death ray_"

***

-"Hey hey HEY!! Calm down!" –Presea shouted, trying to hold Hikaru flinging on her bed.

The red-hair finally woke up and looked at Presea with terror, breathing hard.

-"Presea…?"

-"As you can see. My dear… You had a bad dream?"

Hikaru nodded. This wasn't only a dream. It was so real. So terribly real, that her heart was still beating like a hammer.

-"So… why are you… here?" –Hikaru asked with shaking voice

-"We have a trouble. Autosam trouble"

Hikaru shot up like stung

-"What?! What happened?!"

-"Calm down. Nothing's happening yet. Guys are going to explain you"

Hikaru quickly got up from bed. She got her old clothes from a drawer, waiting for occasion when she might be fighting.

-"Are you sure you can go? You look terrible" –Presea said

-"Don't worry. I'm okay"

Presea helped her to dress up, since Hikaru was still trembling after her restless dream. After she put her second boot on, she smiled and said

-"Thanks… Sierra…"

The orange haired woman looked at her like struck by lightning. She was staring on her like this for a certain while and finally said

-"What… did you… say…?"

Hikaru looked at her in puzzled way

-"Um… I said thank you"

-"How did you call me?!"

Hikaru made even more surprised look

-"Did I say something wrong? Oh no… Presea don't tell me I've just insulted you…" –Hikaru said with fear

-"Oh no no… I must have misheard you"

That wasn't true. It was late night, but she was enough awake to be sure what Hikaru said. How did she know who she truly was? And how is it possible she immediately forget about it?

-"Then let's go. We have no time to loose. Hey! Why don't we teleport?" –Hikaru asked excited

Sierra smiled and said

-"You truly love to do this don't you?"

Since Hikaru took this as an agreement, she stood up, linked her hands and a moment later two balls of energy, red and orange, disappeared from the room with a flash to materialize as two women many corridors and rooms away.

**NOTES: Just wanted to say that I will call Sierra in next chapters Presea, since nobody (even Hikaru who accidentally spoke her name) ****knows about who she really was. Will they know? Asking me?! You are joking! How would I know? I'm not living in Cephiro ;)**

**Don't forget to write REVIEWS!!!**


	7. 7 Inevitable destiny

Chapter 7 – Inevitable destiny

Everybody in the meeting hall shuddered when Hikaru and Presea appeared in the hall with a flash.

-"What's happening?" –Hikaru asked immediately even before sparks of energy after her teleport vanished

-"It looks like Moondart had enough waiting" –Ferio replied with sleepy voice

-"Two warships are on route to the palace. They are still far away, but it's only a matter of time when they get into firing range" –Geo added

Almost everybody who Hikaru knew in Cephiro well were gathered in the chamber. Even Primera was flying around the table and Mokona was sitting on the window, observing people that were sometimes exchanging worried looks. Hikaru and Presea came up to a table and sat on two free chairs. Hikaru was afraid to look at Clef. Knowledge that her friend but also a man she was respecting the most could be ready to kill her somewhere in the future was terrifying. Of course she was aware that for rescuing Cephiro guru was ready even for sacrificing his own life, but sacrificing HER life was something else.

-"Good thing there are only two of them" –she said after a moment

-"Yes, but if they are carrying some weapon that can take out palace magic shield, we are finished" –Geo stated

-"Couldn't you send some of your own ships to stop these two?" –Umi asked

-"I can't. They are flying in those storm clouds so our scanners can barely detect them. If I send ships to intercept these two, it will weaken my fleet. Moondart is only waiting for that. We are already too weak to make effective resistance against him. I have my hands tied right now" –Geo explained

Silence that arose after his words only made situation even more ominous. Hikaru felt excitement. An idea came to her head. Mad idea, but after all, she used to have madder ideas.

-"So I can see only one solution" –she said and stood up

-"Hey, where do you think you're going?" –Caldina asked

-"I will not let them get to the palace. If they are going to attack, they will have to make it past me first"

Clef quickly stood up from chair

-"No! You cannot fight yet! You are not ready!" –he exclaimed

-"If after four days of training I'm not ready, then probably I will never be"

-"It's not what I mean. You cannot leave the palace right now!"

-"So try to stop me"

Clef wanted to say something more, but violet light glowing around Hikaru's medallion stopped him from saying anything.

-"You won't imprison me in here. I am the magic knight and I will do what is my duty. Umi, Fuu, are you going with me?"

Umi and Fuu looked at each other and after a moment, although uncertainly, stood up from chairs and all three girls marched to the doors.

-"Wait" –Geo in the last moment

Hikaru turned around and looked at him with annoyance.

-"What do you want? I already said no one will stop me here" –she said coldly

-"I don't want to stop you. I'm going with you" –he replied and stood up

-"Are you sure Geo-san?" –Fuu asked with uncertain voice

-"I'm sure. Don't worry. Zazu tuned up GTO a bit. Besides… I'm the one who thrown you into that trouble and I will try to be the one who will drag you out of it"

Magic knights, after exchanging looks meaning "let it be" went to the doors. They thought that Geo meant the war, however only Clef, Ferio, Lantis, Zazu and Lafarga knew what he truly meant.

-"Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, please! Think about it one more time. Believe me; you are not ready for battle" –Clef said. He was almost begging them.

Whole group stopped. Hikaru turned around and looked right in guru's eyes

-"I already made my decision. I will not stay in here while Cephiro is in danger" –she said and looked at Umi.

-"Um… I'm sorry. I cannot stay while my friend goes" –Umi said sending Clef apologizing look

-"I believe you Clef-san, but if my friends are going, I can't do otherwise. Even if we are going to fail, because we aren't ready" –Fuu stated

Clef drilled his eyes in the floor. He couldn't win with the magic knights. Regardless of that she was affected by dark side or not, Hikaru was bound and determined to defend Cephiro at all costs, and her two friends were not exception. Each magic knight was always following two others and was ready to go with them even to hell. Even master mage couldn't turn them back from this path.

-"So… good luck" –Ascot broke the silence

After replying on Ascot's blessing by sending him a smile (even Hikaru, despite being her "evil" version forced herself to lift corners of her mouth), magic knights left the chamber with commander of Autosam fleet, followed up by Zazu shortly after.

-"They are doomed" –Clef almost whispered

-"Maybe they will deal with Moondart? They've been in worse situations" –Ferio noticed, trying to not say about possible Moondart's trap with Presea, Caldina and Ascot hearing him.

"You don't even imagine in what danger are they now" –Clef ended. And he did not mean general Moondart.

-"How much time do we have left?" –Hikaru asked

-"With that speed, I think they will reach critical range in about 40 minutes. That's for ships with longest firing range, excluding laguna cannon. I don't know what type are they so we might have a little more time" –Zazu answered

-"You must take caution. Fighting FTO and GTO is one thing, but fighting ships is another story. Just remember – tactic 'shoot him until he dies' is not good when attacking capital ship" –Geo said

-"Do you think Moondart is going to show up?" –Umi asked

-"No, I don't think so. He didn't appear on the battlefield even during war on Autosam. There are rumors that he is in possession of some advanced model of battle craft. Even stronger than Eagle's FTO or my GTO. I hope those are only rumors…"

After quick walk through the palace, they finally made it to the main doors. A man who was waiting at the doors came closer immediately when he spotted them. Most obviously officer because of his suit and armor with various patterns. He stood before Geo and saluted him.

-"At ease. How's the situation?"

-"They did not change the course sir"

-"Did you catch up their signature?"

-"Unfortunately no. The storm is too heavy"

Geo swore with anger. The officer only looked at three girls standing behind his commander and said

-"Who is that sir?"

-"The magic knights" –Geo replied

The officer looked at them in puzzled way

-"They are supposed to help us?"

-"Yes. You doubt it soldier?"

-"With all respect sir… they are just kids"

-"WHO ARE YOU CALLING KIDS?" –Umi screamed making even Geo jump in surprise. Her ring sent single white flash. Guards at the doors were observing the scene with astonishment.

-"Uh… I'm sorry… I didn't want to…"

-"Could you err… go into the shuttle already?" –Geo interrupted officer's stammering

The man only saluted and quickly walked outside through the doors avoiding Umi's angry look.

-"Idiot…" –she commented shortly when doors closed

Fuu and Hikaru have hardly stopped themselves from laughing, Everybody who knew Umi, also knew that calling her a kid was one of easy ways to infuriate her.

-"One more thing. Zazu, do you have some spare intercoms?"

-"Oh wait a sec…" –the boy replied and began searching for something in his pockets. Finally he took out something and said – "I got three"

-"Good…" –Geo took the items from Zazu's hand and put one in hand of each girl –"…Put those in your ears. These things will make us stay in contact"

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu stared at items looking like three little silver coins. After a while, they shrugged and done as Geo told them.

-"So? Shall you show us your toys?" –Geo asked smiling

All three magic knights looked at each other. Without thinking too long they walked outside, guards opened the doors without a word. Girls felt a wave of cold rain immediately when they got outside. Their clothes became wet in couple of seconds. Through the curtain of rain they could barely see a small Autosam ship, probably the shuttle that Geo was using to travel between the castle and NSX.

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu called their armors to their advanced form. Capes appeared at their backs and diadems on their heads. They drawn swords from their gloves, pointed them somewhere into the sky and shouted, one by one

-"Selece!"

-"Windam!"

-"Rayearth!"

Each sword shot a twinkling ribbon of water, wind and fire which formed three whirls shooting sparks of energy.

After a while three huge machines appeared from the whirls and landed on the castle platform. Each girl was sucked into the core of her machine as beam of light. When they got inside, they heard voices of their guardians echoing in their heads.

_-"Again we are replying to your summon magic knights"_

_-"Let us fight again together, against anyone foolish enough to stand on our way"_

_-"Show enough carriage and Cephiro may be saved once and for all"_

Despite standing inside cores of their guardians, girls felt a rain striking their bodies. It was effect of that they've become one with their machines.

-"Good to see you again big boy" –Umi said with note of humor in her voice

Doors of the bridge opened to let general Moondart inside (who bend at the entrance to avoid hitting embrasure with his head). His right hand, Yoltz, quickly came up to him and saluted.

-"Anything new?" –general asked

-"No sir, there's still not a sign of magic knights. However we detected two suspicious signatures. A shuttle leaving the palace and docking at NSX. Then, most obviously small battle craft leaving NSX and going on the palace. It's currently half a way"

-"Good. Then…"

General was interrupted by a high beep coming from one of computers. The man sitting in front of it shouted.

-"General! Our sensors got a lock on an energy source leaving the palace! Energy readings are coming of the scale! Signature is matching the one from the files! That's the magic knights!"

-"Switch whole fleet to yellow alert. Order sigma team to continue with their course, and omicron team to proceed to phase 2 IMMEDIATELY but keep cloaking"

-"Yes sir!" –Yoltz saluted and gone to pass the orders to their targets.

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu were slowly circling around the castle as they were waiting for Geo to return with GTO - his battle craft. Hikaru was no longer under influence of her dark side since sleepy flight around the castle seemed to calm her down a bit.

-"Look!" –Fuu broke the silence and pointed on something closing on them

-"At last…" –Umi grunted when she realized what, or better who was that.

Commander of Autosam fleet came closer to formation of magic knights. His robot-like battle craft have changed a bit through these three years. Although it was enough time to forget how it looked like, magic knights didn't have problems to notice changes. His shoulder cannon was bigger, second shoulder was now occupied by rocket launcher battery, his arms had also some kind of weapon mounted on them. Whole robot seemed to be a little bigger and more bulky at all.

-"_So we are ready to go! We won't make it through that storm without help of NSX's sensors so first officer on NSX, Lasarc, will be guiding us"_ –sounded Geo's voice in their intercoms that were sitting in their ears

-"_Greetings. Can you hear me well?_" –another voice appeared on the channel

-"Loud and clear!" –Hikaru exclaimed with enthusiasm

-"Isn't it that guy who named me a kid?" –Umi snarled

-" _Keep formation whatever happens…_" –Geo said, ignoring Umi -"…_ Lasarc, do your job_"

-"_Come to course of 58 degrees"_

Neither of magic knights knew in which direction that course was so they only followed Geo who began flying in direction of the biggest storm clouds.

Magic knights and Geo were flying slowly in the formation to wherever Lasarc was guiding them using NSX's navigation systems. Rain was dancing madly in the air. Clouds were flashing with lightnings dangerously few meters from them.

Between the clouds, a profile of huge ship appeared. This ship was nothing but dreadnought NSX.

Memories awoke in Hikaru's head. This was the place where she and her two friends met Eagle Vision for the first time.

Eagle…

Who knows if Hikaru didn't love him even more than she loved Lantis. Too bad they met each other standing on two sides of barricade. And too bad he had to sacrifice his life to defend her…

But it looks like it was Lantis who was destined to be her "husband" (People didn't hear about marriage in Cephiro). That terrifying dream was also carrying calming truth Lantis is going to be father of her daughter. Hikaru had no doubt that those dreams were related to her future.

So Kajiru was her own daughter. The mystery was solved. Hikaru was probably the only one in the universe that was given a chance to see her child before it actually began to live. Although it was good to know that she will be mother of cute beautiful girl (that will also become a magic knight in amazingly early age, guessing because of escudo broadsword held by her), whole pleasure was killed by the fact that dreams were not foretelling nice future.

Was she destined to kill all her friends, and Lantis and Kajiru in the end? The black magic that was running in her veins was making her condemned into loosing all she loved? This can't be true. There have to be a way out of this terrible fate. If there isn't – what is the sense of fighting for Cephiro? What is the sense… of fighting for everything she loved if it's going to be lost?

-"We will have to harm people?" –Fuu asked worriedly waking up Hikaru from her thoughts

-"_No. Starships have escape pods onboard. We only have to force those guys to use them. Remember – don't attack chaotically. We must be working as a team to overcome a ship_" –Geo explained

After few minutes rain and storm clouds became so dense that they could barely see anything, so Lasarc's help became vital for them to fly even couple of meters. In such condition eyes were as useful as flowerpot on head.

-"_Comm take caution. You are closing in on your target" –Lasarc instructed_

-"_Good. How close are we?_"

Suddenly something shot from between the clouds and missed Geo by millimeters. This thing came out to be some kind of projectile.

-"Guess very close…" –Umi commented

Formation flew into weirdest thing they ever saw. It was huge piece of empty space in heart of storm. This place was surrounded by "walls" of black clouds from every side. In the middle there were two gigantic ships floating.

-"_Destroyers!_"

-"_Comm! Get out of there! The storm…_wzzz_… coming from all around… _wzzz… _I can't… wzzzzzz_" –rest of Lasarc's words sunk in hum of the intercom

-"_Lasarc! LASARC! Damnit! What are you waiting for? Attack!_"

Geo and magic knights shot forward. Suddenly, something reminding of swarm of furious bees impacted with their machines, causing hundreds of explosions on their hulls and pain like someone thrown box of little needles on them (except Geo who felt nothing of course).

-"_They're shooting missiles! Spread!_"

Each one of them flew in other direction, doing everything to free from cloud of missiles. After breathing up a little, they again dashed on one of ships, avoiding another salvo of missiles shot on them.

Now they could see the surface of one of giant ships from close range. It was crawling with turrets shooting shower of bullets, missiles and beams at them. Fortunately the biggest of guns (those of size of a train) were too slow to aim at four quickly moving targets.

-"_Flame arrow!_"

Rayearth's shield-arm burst with fire. Hikaru swung arm of her machine to throw a spell into the nearest turret. Instead of hitting surface of the ship it exploded somewhere above it and created mysterious blue circular wave that dispersed in all ways above the surface of the ship. The ship itself remained intact.

-"_They are shielded! We must drop their shields first! Concentrate fire at one point!_" –Geo yelled

Geo began bombarding ship with his shoulder cannon, shooting missiles and dropping bombs. Ship's shield was constantly illuminated with blue waves like surface of water on which someone was throwing stones.

-"_Water whirl!_"

Water began gathering in Umi's hand (or better Selece's hand). When she gathered enough water, she thrown it forth making tornado of water which crashed into ship's shield causing almost blinding wave of blue light.

-"_Green gale!_"

Two whirls of green wind appeared at tips of Fuu's hands. She threw them low like two bowls onto her target. Half a way, they turned into one whirlwind that sucked inside all the missiles and bullets shot by turrets. The result was that ship's shield was bombarded with its own fire and Fuu's spell for a dessert.

-"General! The sigma team is under attack! We have a transmission coming!" –one of technicians on the bridge shouted

-"Give'em on screen" –Moondart replied

One of monitors on the bridge have flashed few times and showed panicked officer. His surroundings were flashing with red light and sound of alarms could be heard on the bridge.

-"_General where is omicron team? We are not going to hold for long without them! Those bastards are going to destroy the ship!_"

-"Calm down soldier! What is your status?"

-"_Shield is about to collapse! We are getting serious beat up down here! If the shield is down they will blow up the ship with single attack like this!"_

-"Omicron team is on its way. Pull yourself together! Remember the rules of engagement! I believe in you soldier. Neutralize them immediately! It's an order!" –Moondart ended and the screen went out. General turned around and said

-"I think I'll have to personally take care of this"

The battle in the heart of storm was going. Geo, Hikaru, Fuu and Umi were doing all they could to deactivate shield that was protecting the ship. The other ship was trying to get close and help, but it was still too far to open fire, and the attackers were dragging the first ship all over the battlefield.

-"_Red thunder!_" –Hikaru shouted and sent rain of lightnings that made ship's shield flash blindly. Her throat began aching of her shouts.

-"Ouch! These guys are serious!" –Umi yelled when she received another burst of lasers

-"_Protective wind!_ Uh…" –right after Fuu casted her wind barrier, destroyer shot swarm of missiles, forcing her to deactivate her spell. She tried to take a breath and got shot by slow, but powerful missile.

Geo was still attacking ship's shield madly with everything his craft could throw, including missiles, bombs and some kind of whirling blades that were landing right on surface of energy shield and cutting it like a circular saw.

The ship was not only chaotically shooting everything that was moving. Umi was too fast for missiles and rockets so the ship was mostly shooting her with lasers that were always hitting directly.

Fuu was being mostly hit by cruise missiles that were rather easy to avoid, but when she was getting forced to deactivate her protective wind spell by suppressing fire, she was too confused to do any evasive maneuvers.

Heaviest of weapons were aimed of course at Hikaru, but she was making good use of her shield that seemed to be indestructible. However little percent of what ship was throwing at her managed to get it past her defense, striking at not protected spots or simply hitting her from both sides.

Suddenly ship was engulfed with transparent blue sphere. It flashed couple of times like a damaged TV and disappeared.

-"_Shield is down!_" –Geo yelled

-"Let's finish him!" –Hikaru shouted

All three magic knights stopped in place and began concentrating, just like on their trainings. Then, they all yelled simultaneously

-"_Fire rain!_"

-"_Icicle storm!_"

-"_Green tornado!_"

Three powerful spells dashed away on ship and half a way joined into one wave of deadly fireballs, icicles and whirlwind. When Geo heard a deafening roar, he thought that lightning have just struck his craft.

The ship was almost blown to pieces. Holed by lethal spells and set on fire, it turned into giant flying torch. It began shooting swarms of strange silver tubes that flown onto the second destroyer. These were obviously not weapons.

-"_They're evacuating! Good job!_" –Geo said

They didn't have a pleasure to enjoy their victory for too long. Before they even launched attack on another ship, their self-confidence was flooded with fear mixed with surprise when formation of four dreadful ships emerged from the clouds and turned to them.

-"_Damnit! We can't take on so many! Retreat!_" –Geo yelled

But then, another group of ships appeared on the other side of the battlefield. Then two another at the sides. There were now about eleven ships around them. All armed to the teeth.

-"We are surrounded!" –Fuu exclaimed with fear

All ships began coming closer to the magic knights and Geo, who were desperately seeking a way out of this trap. Before they managed to do something, ships have opened fire.

Umi screamed when swarm of laser beams shot her over her hands and legs. Hikaru hidden herself behind her shield to protect herself from shower of small rockets, but they were coming from all around so she received a massive punch in her back and sides. Geo was flying like mad to loose a lock of swarm of homing missiles that were chasing him.

Suddenly Hikaru with all force realized that some of big cannons finally managed to aim at their target. This target came out to be Umi who was still shocked by burst of lasers. A roar of salvo being shot on defenseless magic knight could be heard.

-"UMI LOOK OUT!" –Hikaru screamed

It was too late. Before Umi had chance to react she was nearly torn apart with a shower of powerful explosive shells. Hikaru, Fuu and Geo could see a rain of blue metal clusters falling from the cloud of smokes and Umi falling down.

-"Umi!" –Fuu and Hikaru screamed

Geo reacted quickly and shot a rope that wrapped around Umi's machine and stopped its descent, saving magic knight from crashing somewhere down there on the earth.

-"_Healing_…"

Fuu was interrupted in casting her spell by punch of three big missiles right in her head. She immediately began falling. This time Geo reacted too catching another magic knight on his rope.

-"Umi! Fuu! Are you alright? Say something!" –Hikaru yelled with panic

Umi only groaned, half alive. Fuu didn't answer, most obviously unconscious. Hikaru felt like heart coming up to her throat when she saw Selece's hand being almost totally torn apart. It was looking like blown to pieces from inside. She didn't want to imagine how Umi's hand will look, as she knew that any damage sustained by Selece, is felt by and inflicted to his magic knight. Apart from devastated hand, Umi had her machine holed like a swiss cheese.

Suddenly, Geo's ropes were cut by two whirling blades shot from nowhere and two magic knights again began falling until they got caught again by ropes. But this time not Geo's ropes.

Geo and Hikaru turned around and saw a robot, similar to GTO but without a shoulder cannon and slightly bigger. Instead of the cannon, it had missile launchers on its shoulders. The machine was holding Selece and Windam on the ropes coming from his arm. It looks like all ships have ceased fire when he appeared.

-"_Geo Metro… So, you started hanging around with the magic knights? You think they will be your living shield?_" –said low voice in Hikaru's and Geo's intercoms

-"_Moondart!_" –Geo shouted

Without moving a finger, general shot a salvo of missiles from launchers on his shoulders. Hikaru hidden herself behind her shield but none of missiles hit her. All missiles were aimed at Geo who received almost all of them on his craft. GTO was almost blown to pieces and began falling.

-"Geo!"

Suddenly Hikaru saw a beam of yellow light dashing on her. She again raised her shield, but it was too late. She was stunned by terrible pain. So terrible that she did not hear her own scream. She was screaming and screaming and after few seconds that were like eternity of pain to her, she fell unconscious and got caught by another rope shot by Moondart's HTO.

"So much for invincible magic knights…" –general thought to himself as he was observing smoking GTO falling down and shortly after disappearing in the clouds.

Hikaru was slowly regaining her consciousness. Essence of horrifying events of this night began coming into her head as she was standing in center of meeting hall with hand still aimed at man which she loved so much and who was now lying on the floor.

What she was afraid off so much have finally happened. It's over. Everything is lost. She came up to Lantis' body and fell on her knees. She lain her head on his chest and almost prayed for lightning to kill her.

But then, she heard a weak groan somewhere in the hall. She quickly turned around and saw a little girl lying at the wall.

Hikaru, carried by her hope, ran up to her daughter as quickly as she could and fell on her knees next to a girl. She put ear to little chest of a girl to make sure her hope is not playing with her hearing.

-"Kajiru you're alive… thank god…" –Hikaru said loud when she heard beat of heart in chest of a little girl

Tears of happiness burst from her eyes when she stroked red hair of her daughter. She was so happy that at least her child survived deadly spell and came out of the blast only with a bruise on her elbow, probably gained when she hit the wall. Kajiru slowly opened her eyes.

-"Mummy?" –she almost whispered

-"Don't be scared my sweetie. It's over…" –Hikaru said with tears

-"Mummy…" –Kajiru repeated even more silent, nestling her head into her mother's stomach and clutching for her like she was about to loose her if she only loosened her grip.

Suddenly Hikaru heard demonic laugh inside of her head. Everything turned dark. Floor, walls, like someone just put a black band on her eyes. Everything disappeared, even her daughter that she held in her hands disappeared into thin air.

-"You killed them all. You are not better than monsters that you were destroying with such determination!"

-"No…"

-"It started from Lantis' brother, Zagato. Then Emeraude. Now you killed everybody! Murderer!"

-"No… I didn't want to…"

-"Your daughter survived only to hate you to the rest of her days! She will hate you to the end for that you killed her father she loved so much! And you shall feel her wrath… through the eternity!"

-"No…please… noo!"

Hikaru was screaming in her dream but in reality she only managed to groan weakly. She was too weak for screaming. A moment ago she was asleep but she wasn't sleeping in her bed, but on some strange metallic object. She was covered with cold sweat but this time, none of her friends or parents came to wake her up from a nightmare and calm her down.

She tried to look around but her vision was too blurry to recognize any shape. She could only hear. And what she heard was beeps of devices and sound of walking people, like she was in center of a market.

So it was only a dream. Only a terrifying dream. War was still the greatest plague of Cephiro, and Hikaru have just realized that she was most obviously on board of Autosam ship. It gave her relief, whoever that ship belonged to.

**NOTES: I hope you're not scared by such cheerless ending of this chapter… Don't worry. One chapter isn't whole story. For now, I am leaving you wondering, like "who is that mage helping general Moondart". You may know soon… But since you don't have anything better to do right now, write some nice reviews! What? You have better things to do? No way!**

**PS: Allright, I'm pretty aware some of you might be annoyed by such a HUGE "break". The truth is, for some time I simply aborted writing this. It started from a simple writer's block, but once you stop it's hard to resume. But worry not, I didn't forget about this fanfic, and I'm trying to find time for resuming it. I recently had some issues, but seriously, this isn't appropriate place for such explanations, so get this - I WILL finish this story. I always had whole script in my head. I kinda strayed away from Rayearth, and my style might have changed, but I don't think it's a major issue. So, sorry and be a lil' more patient.**


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